I first officially met Trystan at a church game night. I recognized him from when I had worked at Dunhams, but I did not talk to him at all. At the next college and career class get together I talked to him a little bit more but did not think much of it.

At our pumpkin carving party, we had our first full conversation. After that night my friend told me that I should get to know Trystan more because he had entertained her two-year-old for a long time and had seemed to enjoy it. I told her no because I figured we would not have much in common, along with mentioning that I did not want a boyfriend at that moment. A few days later I received a friend request from him on Facebook, another friend told me I should text him. I told her no and said that it would be weird. After several days of her telling me to text him, she finally threatened with if you don't text him by Friday I will. I did not, so she did. After that, we texted for several hours before he invited me to go to a 20s worship night at a neighboring church. I agreed to go and realized we actually did have quite a bit in common after a lengthy conversation that evening.

A couple weeks later Trystan texted me and after a couple hours of texting he asked me if I would like to go out to dinner with him that evening. I agreed and had a very stressful rest of the workday anticipating this first date. The date went well, and we made plans to attend a church event together the next week. After a couple weeks of hanging out about once a week and texting throughout the day he asked me if he could call me his girlfriend. I laughed at how he decided to phrase the question but happily answered yes!

Over the next 11 months, our relationship grew, and engagement/marriage started to be a frequent topic of conversation. On December 1st we attended the Christmas Walk in downtown Newaygo, which happened to be the location we took our first picture together the year before. We hung out with friends throughout the evening and then started to walk back to the vehicle. We had to walk past the tree where we had taken our first picture together. As we were walking past the tree Trystan said “ wait a second” and turned me around before getting down on one knee and asking me to marry him. I'm pretty sure I said yes before it was even out of his mouth!

Our wedding is on May 18, 2024 and we could not be more excited to celebrate!

So, I officially met Kendra at a young folks game night at her church, but I had seen her quite a few times at one of the places that I’d go to gun shop.

We didn’t really talk much then, but I talked with her dad Eric, and he got my number, so next time they had a young folks get together, he could let me know.

He invited me to a hayride a few weeks later, and at the bonfire that night Kendra and I had a short conversation, about what kinds of music we listened to.

I really didn’t think too much about it.

They planned a pumpkin carving night for the next month, and said I was invited, so when the time came, I went, and had an enjoyable time playing with the daughter of one of Kendra’s friends.

We talked briefly again, and I still didn’t think about it too much.

A few days later, I friend requested her on Facebook, because she was nice, totally not because I had anything in mind.

She accepted, but it started to get interesting a couple weeks later, when,on a Friday morning, I received a message from her…

I was honestly shocked, and very surprised, but I responded back within 10 minutes, and we chatted a little bit, and I wound up inviting her to a young folks thing at another church, and we talked about an hour afterwards.

We chatted on and off for a couple weeks, and then I asked her out to dinner, just to test the waters.

She said yes, and I was surprised yet again!

Over the next couple weeks, we hung out, and I worked up the courage to ask her to be my girlfriend.

Again she said yes, and over the coming months, she showed me what it looks like to be open, and vulnerable to someone, and showed me a lot of grace, as we worked at building a healthy relationship.

As time went on, we talked more and more about marriage, and what that meant for us.

We had found a ring that matched what she wanted.

So I ordered it, and enjoyed immensely her waiting, somewhat impatiently, for me to propose!

I proposed to her, on a Friday night, after the Christmas walk in Newaygo, near the tree by which we had taken our first picture together, and she said yes!