Our story began with a simple friend request on Facebook, but from the very beginning, it felt like something more. For our first date, we met in Grinnell at Hometown Heroes with Mike and Ashley. We shared dinner, laughter, a visit to a cozy brewery, and ended the evening playing pool at the Eagles. At one point, while Chris and I were getting another drink, he turned to me and said, “I like your style.” It was such a genuine, unexpected compliment—and in that moment, I knew there was something special about him. I couldn’t stop smiling, and I had a feeling he was someone worth holding on to.

After just four dates, Chris looked at me and said, “I’d really like it if you’d be my girlfriend.” Smooth, right? But it worked. Not long after, I got a job in Dubuque, and we moved into our first place together in Dyersville—just the two of us and our dog, Baloo, running the show. We called it home for two years, full of love, laughs, and plenty of dog hair.

On June 3, 2022, we officially became homeowners and made the big move to Dubuque. It was equal parts exciting and chaotic, but totally worth it!

Chris started the day with coffee and danishes, then took us on a drive to the Dubuque Arboretum. As we wandered through the gardens and beautiful tress, he led me down the hill to a peaceful Japanese garden. On a little bridge overlooking the koi pond, surrounded by the colors of fall, he got down on one knee and asked me to spend forever with him. It was peaceful, beautiful, and full of love. We spent the rest of the day wrapped in that feeling, with brunch in Galena and a quiet dinner later that night, hearts full.