Long story short: there was very little time before there was “us”. We’ve been blessed with the opportunity to grow up right beside each other. There is something special about loving someone when the only thing that they have to offer is themselves. Starting our relationship at fifteen means that our moms were responsible for driving us to our dates, we could only hangout on weekends, and we spent way too much time communicating over Snapchat. But, even the simplest of stories start somewhere, and here is ours… In the summer of 2019, there were two kids excited to start making some money before they started high school. One started in June, the other quickly followed in July. Ag Park in Columbus, Nebraska pretty much owned the summer with various events needing concessions. One hot summer afternoon Charlee was working a tractor pull when a guy walked in and introduced himself as Isaiah. She was vaguely aware of him, almost certain that they were in the same grade. But this was not love at first sight. She thought he was extremely awkward and had a horrible fashion sense, and he could barely distinguish between her and the other girl working. They started a snap streak that summer, but that’s about it. Then, school started in the fall and now they were not only working together every weekend but also had English and homeroom together! During all that time, they were bound to fall in love. They would “flirt” in the hallway, pretend not to notice each other staring from across the room, and chat through homeroom. In January 2020, Ag Park hosted one of its largest events: The Eagles Pool Tournament. Charlee and Isaiah were expected to be there from sun up to sun down all weekend. Between making hot dogs (Isaiah) and struggling to count back change (Charlee) they somehow had a chance to say things like, “You can admit you like me,” long into the night. That was the weekend that changed everything. On January 27, 2020, Isaiah asked Charlee to be his girlfriend over Snapchat. The next day, Charlee had to confirm if they were actually dating. They held hands from health class to homeroom, and have been together ever since. They graduated high school in 2023, started at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln that fall and have been navigating the ups and downs of young adulthood. One thing they have learned is that they have an immense love and appreciation for experiencing new places together. In an effort to mark off all 50 states, in August 2025 they set off on the world’s most exciting road trip - through Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri. And while those may be some of the most boring states to exist; this trip holds a very special part of Charlee and Isaiah’s hearts. On August 19th, a little left of the St. Louis Arch at sunset, a very jittery Isaiah, asked Charlee to marry him. Charlee had no words despite being suspicious all afternoon. She instantly nodded her head… and plucked the ring box straight from his hands because she was so mesmerized by the sparkles. After quickly realizing her mistake, she handed it back to him so he could slip the gorgeous ring onto her finger. Then after taking a few selfies they had to sprint to the parking garage because the timer was about to go off and Isaiah heard that St. Louis parking tickets were not something to take lightly. From there, Isaiah drove her an hour to a very romantic spot - the wrong (and sketchy) campground they were supposed to set up a tent for that evening. Instead, they found a nearby Motel 6 and checked in while laughing at the ridiculous evening they had. Isaiah now admits he should’ve planned the AFTER a bit better, but Charlee wouldn’t change a thing. The two are set to continue figuring out life together as husband and wife on October 3, 2026. They are beyond excited to celebrate their love with the people they are blessed to have as family and friends. The End.