We met in university through mutual friends. Anika was at one of my volleyball games with a friend during the 2013-2014 season. Anika asked said friend if she could help her get my phone number. SHE MADE THE FIRST MOVE! From there our relationship started with study dates, Bison volleyball games and nights out with friends. Anika finished her undergraduate degree in 2016 and applied to study Prosthetics and Orthotics in Toronto. To no surprise she was accepted into the program. We decided to give long distance a shot. We took it week by week and month by month....which turned into year by year. The long distance period of our relationship lasted four years and it wasn't always easy. However, the time we spent visiting each other, whether it was a weekend in Toronto, New Years in Berlin or being home for the holidays with family... those are some of our favorite memories. In 2019, I finished my volleyball season in Germany and decided it was time to hang up the volleyball shoes. I came home to Winnipeg to start my business career and I waited patiently for Anika to graduate and start her career as an Orthotist in 2020. We went from long distance to "close distance" very quickly when we moved into our home in River Heights in the middle of lockdown. Only a few months after moving in together and with not much to do on a Saturday during the pandemic, we made plans to go "look at dogs" at the Winnipeg Humane Society with friends. It was that day that we both met the second love of our lives.... Artie! Three years later, on a perfect -30 degree winter day in December 2022, we went for a walk to the Monastery Ruins in St. Norbert as we had done many times before. The big question was asked, she said yes, and that brings us to today. We have been together from being two university students, living at home when we were 20 to having established careers, a house and a dog at 30. We have truly grown up together! If you are seeing this story right now that means that you have been a part of our story in one way or another and we can't wait to celebrate with you!