At sixteen, Shayla moved to Blaine, Minnesota to attend a new high school. Following this, she would attend Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. Little did Shayla know, the love of her life would be five minutes down the road.


She had no idea that she could’ve brushed shoulders with him in the hallway to class, the line at the grocery store or in the Riverside Commons; where they would both study before they met. Maxim stumbled a bit in love, never quite feeling like those he was interested in, could give him the same energy back.

He loves deeply, excitable about the idea of one day being a husband and father. 
At nineteen, Maxim would start a job at Menards in Blaine, Minnesota, where Shayla had been employed since she was seventeen.


From the moment that she laid her eyes on him, she couldn’t shut up about him. The wrong/right person got ahold of this information and told Maxim, “You know that girl Shayla in the front end? She has a huge crush on you.” Maxim enjoyed the information he was given, feeling sought after and not quite knowing what he would do since following that summer, he would be moving away to Fargo, North Dakota. 


When Shayla found out that Maxim was moving away, she decided that she would try to shut away the feelings.

August sixteen rolls around, Shayla and Maxim are faced with the fact that it is the last time they would see one another. Shayla surprised Maxim with his favorite food as a celebration for his birthday and his last day. This solidified the feelings he had for her, Maxim would search for her on his way out, at the last moment deciding to take a risk on them. 


Four years later, Maxim has graduated college and is employed at an engineering firm and Shayla is teaching English at her dream job, right down the road from him, all following admitting to Maxim that she had always wanted to go to Minnesota State University, Moorhead; a school across the river from North Dakota State University.


They came together in a whirlwind of chaos and endless support. Please join us in the Fall of 2025 to celebrate the love of Maxim James Williamson and Shayla Renée Crittenden.