When Anna started working at the Powell School District, she gained a wonderful colleague and role model in Mrs. Bott—who wasted no time mentioning her son, Bryce. Mrs. Bott was persistent, often saying, “If you’re ever single, I’d really like you to meet my son.” Anna was flattered, and when the timing finally aligned, she agreed to the setup (after Mrs. Bott had asked more than once and a coworker finally chimed in, “Katie, you can stop asking, she said she would!”). That same night, while on the phone with her mom, Anna admitted, “I’d consider marrying her son just to have her as a mother-in-law!” After Anna agreed, Bryce played it cool. Very cool. After a months-long wait for a Facebook request and a few more weeks of silence, Anna finally took the lead and sent the first message. Their first date was supposed to be cross-country skiing, but with no snow on the ground, they ended up heading to the Bott household for a ride and a roping lesson. Bryce was pretty quiet most of the ride, so Anna spent the time chatting with Mrs. Bott about school. Once they started roping, though, Bryce proved to be a phenomenal, patient, and kind coach, and Anna figured that, at the very least, she’d come away with a better swing out of the deal. In fact, Bryce was so quiet in those early days that Anna left every date convinced he wasn’t interested—only to be confused when he’d text the next day to make plans for the next one. Bryce now jokes that the silence was “all part of his charm” and that Anna simply had to “earn his personality.” Anna spent those early months pushing Bryce right out of his comfort zone—dragging him to volleyball at the Mennonite Church (ask Bryce about his wicked underhand serve), the Shell Bar, and even onto the dance floor at the first wedding they attended together. While Anna might have been “a little pushy” in getting him to open up, Bryce says he always knew it would take someone like her—and he never thought he’d find a partner with such a big heart. Since those early dates, Anna’s roping has improved—hopefully enough to enter a rodeo before the wedding this summer. They’ve joked that the “deal” has finally come full circle: Anna got the world’s best roping coach and mother-in-law, and Bryce is finally marrying into the family so he can ride Anna’s cutting horse in competitions. In all seriousness, Bryce found someone to keep him on his toes, and Anna found the partner who keeps her grounded and supports her in every way possible. Recently, Bryce proposed using the classic roping trick called “the Wedding Ring.” They both feel incredibly blessed to have found their person and look forward to continuing their story together.