We met at North Dakota State University working at the West Dining Center in late 2014. In the two school years we worked there, we became such good friends to the point of calling each other "Work Wifey" and "Work Hubby." After college, we both stayed in Fargo, intentionally getting together every couple months for drinks and catching up. At the beginning of 2023, getting together felt a bit more like dating. We started to see each other more often and at more interesting places than just Chub's Pub, such as Blarney Stone, or the Bowler. Two significant moments: Chris invited Lizzie to a double-date day trip at a golf course 30 minutes from Fargo. It was our first longer car trip together, and it was a longer date out of town. Lizzie invited Chris to walk around the Fargo Street Fair together. At her favorite handbag booth, she warned him this was going to be at least a 15 minute stop. The vendor offered Chris "the boyfriend chair," a stool for him to sit on. There was no point in telling this vendor we weren't in a relationship. Shortly after, Chris asked for a trial dating period. He proposed about 4 weeks of intentional dating ending with a previously discussed outing, the Def Leppard concert. Lizzie said yes, wanting to tryout "Chris: the Boyfriend Experience." After 4 weeks, it was clear, neither could imagine life without the other. Ever since then, we've met and visited each other's families a few times. We've been learning how comfortable we are with each other, and we lean on each other for problems big and small. Chris enjoys cooking for two, and we like to take our truck around town to different ice cream spots. We're just so excited to be part of each other’s day to day lives.

Chris suggested a cute date idea of getting up early someday to watch the sunrise over the airport while planes took off. On October 8, 2024, we drove up to the Hector International Airport in Fargo and parked in the cell phone lot. We set up an inflatable mattress as a cushion in the truck bed, brought some blankets and warm beverages–coffee for him, hot chocolate for me. After an hour and a half, we were thinking of leaving so I leaned in for one more hug. I felt an item in his jacket pocket. "What's this?" We dismounted the truck, both knowing this was THE moment. It was surreal that a moment I’ve seen and heard about thousands of times, was happening to me. Chris commented later that it was now or else he'd have to figure out another time to ask the question. I don’t really remember what Chris said, just how he said it, on one knee with a quaver in his voice because I could tell how much he loved me and how much he wanted to be with me. Of course I said yes. There was no one else I wanted to live my life alongside. No one else I wanted to plan a life with.