Stuart and Khyla met when Stuart was an eighth grader and Khyla was a freshman in high school. They met through Stuart’s older brother, Henry, who had gotten to know Khyla at Stanwood High. Although they had the mutual connection of Henry, Stuart and Khyla really became friends during the next school year when Stuart entered high school and they had choir together. Stuart is a percussionist and Khyla is a pianist, so they would frequently accompany various choirs and vocalists, and also sang many duets together!

After a couple years of growing in friendship, they officially started dating in October of 2019. Their first date was on October 5th at Scuttlebutt Brewing Restaurant & Pub on the Everett waterfront, after which they danced on the docks and watched the sun go down.

In December of 2019, Khyla decided to attend George Fox University for her undergraduate degree. As she is a year older than Stuart, she was planning to start her freshman year of college the next year, in the fall of 2020. Unfortunately, the pandemic struck at the beginning of 2020 near the end of her senior year of high school. Instead of moving down to the George Fox campus in Newberg, Oregon and only having one in-person class (due to pandemic restrictions), Khyla decided to take a “gap year” and stay in Stanwood to work during the ‘20-‘21 school year.

Although it wasn’t the original plan, her gap year turned out to be a blessing in disguise. They were thankful that Khyla could be around during Stuart’s senior year, and they got to continue growing in their relationship during this unexpected season together. They kept making music, both at church by leading worship, and even by making a Christmas CD together with the help of Khyla’s cousin, Kent! Although they didn’t necessarily plan to go to the same university, everything worked out for Stuart to also decide to attend George Fox. They were so excited to get to experience the next chapter of their lives together at the same school!

They began their freshman year of college in the fall of 2021, and have made lots of great friends and memories together during their time in Oregon. Their faith has been deepened during their studies in the George Fox Honors Program and they are especially thankful that they have gotten to have so many transformative discussions with each other in classes and with cherished friends and professors.

It was during Thanksgiving break in the fall of 2023 that they got engaged. The ocean has always been one of their favorite places to be, and while they were watching the sunset at a beach on Camano Island called English Boom, Stuart proposed! After a little over four years of dating, their long-awaited engagement was everything they hoped it would be.

During the spring semester of their junior year at George Fox, they were also blessed with the opportunity to study abroad together in Rome, Italy! They studied in Rome from January through May of 2024, and got to see so many sights together all around Europe. They even got to have some engagement photos taken right by the Roman Forum!

They will be finishing their undergraduate degrees at George Fox (with graduation being May 3rd, 2025) before getting married in their hometown of Stanwood on May 17th. They are so excited to have their family and friends join them in celebrating their union!