Andrew and I have known each other longer than we've been together. We both grew up and attended the same schools throughout our youth. However, we never crossed paths due to being in different friend groups. Our story starts during prom of my senior year and Andrew's junior year. As prom approached, I still didn't have a date and planned to go with a group of friends. It seemed Andrew was in the same situation. So, Andrew's solution was to ask me to prom...by email. Up to that point, we had never spoken, even though we were in quite a few classes together. I thought he was kinda cute, so I replied with a "sure," as one does to a prom invite via email. Leading up to prom, we still hadn't said more than a handful of words to each other and primarily communicated through the friend group we were going with. Prom came and went, and we still had only said a few words to each other. Then I graduated from high school and started my college career. Before we knew it, another year had gone by with no communication until prom season rolled around again. It was Andrew's senior prom, and he decided to ask me to go with him again...through Snapchat. I would have said yes; however, I would be out of the country at the time of prom, and that could have been the end of our story. Instead, Andrew suggested we go bowling. And that's how our story took a new turn. Bowling led to more hangouts, and before we knew it, we were writing a whole new chapter together.

Eventually, we both graduated from Iowa State University, and Andrew and I headed off to Michigan to pursue Andrew's career at General Motors and my dietetics career at Beaumont University Hospital. After completing my dietetics internship, we decided to take a vacation to Mackinac Island. We spent the day hiking, biking, and enjoying each other's company. After leaving the island, Andrew took me to Headlands International Dark Sky Park. I've always loved looking at the stars, and having lived in a town all my life, I never got to truly appreciate the night sky. This place was absolutely amazing; we could see the stars so clearly and even saw a few shooting stars. This is where Andrew got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Of course, I said yes!