Happily Ever After!

Allison had been living in Miami and came back to Okoboji for a visit in June 2018. While out at Captain's Getaway with her family, she saw a man (Brody) whom she thought was very cute, but nothing happened from there. Fast forward a month to July 2018, and Allison had just moved back to Okoboji. She saw the "mystery man" with his brother Gage at Captain's and introduced herself. Things didn't hit off right away as mystery man was quite shy and the two went their own way. An hour or two (and maybe a beverage or two) later, Brody worked up the courage to join Allison's table. The pair hit it off immediately and spent the rest of the summer together. Brody went back to Iowa State in August, while Allison stayed in Okoboji, but the two were confident in their decision to stay together. When you know, you know! Fast forward a few months and BIG surprise.......Allison is pregnant! In May 2019, after spring semester, Brody moved in with Allison to Spirit Lake. In late June 2019, they welcomed their new best friend - Theo! Though all the ups and downs, the two are confident and excited to continue their life together. And Theo is ecstatic his parents are getting married! UPDATE - March 2022 - Allison and Brody have completed their family by giving Theo a little brother.

Summer 2020 - After two years of dating (and one year of Theo), Brody, had one year left of nursing school, so Allison thought a proposal was a ways out. Just in case, she decided to show Brody style's of rings that she liked. 12/24/2020 - Late Christmas Eve night, a few glasses of wine deep, Brody and Allison were putting together Theo's Christmas presents. She had engagement fever and was getting a little sassy with Brody about how much she'd love to be engaged. Thank goodness for his kind and patient heart, because little did Allison know, she would be engaged the next morning. 12/25/2020 - Theo slept in Christmas morning, so we came downstairs to open his gifts around 8AM. We had wrapped the toy kitchen we had put together for Theo the night before. Brody said we should video Theo unwrapping the gift, and was trying to set up my phone to video. It was taking him awhile to get the correct angle and I was getting annoyed (Brody doesn't care about photos!), and Theo was getting antsy. He got the video rolling and Theo opened his gift. There is a little toy Keurig with his kitchen and Brody asked Theo to make me a coffee. I went to show Theo how to work it, and opened the toy coffee pod - SURPRISE! There was the ring I had showed Brody earlier in the summer! I started to cry (happy tears), while Theo continued to play. The three of us, in our mismatching pajamas and bedhead, we decided to spend forever together. The moment perfectly captured on my phone.

Allison's paternal grandparents were married on April 22, 1967. After asking them for their blessing to marry on the same day to honor their 55 years of love, Allison and Brody have decided to marry in a private ceremony on the evening of 4.22.2022, celebrating with family and friends after dinner with a cocktail hour.