I caught a keeper-hook, line, and sinker!

We met on match.com in the summer of 2016. Bill created his profile one night on a whim. In true Bill fashion, his profile picture was of him making a goofy face (others included him with large fish and dead ducks). Before too long, Crystal winked at him and he decided to message her. We began messaging back and forth daily. After a few weeks of corresponding, we decided we would meet. We went for dinner at Five West in Rochester and then to see "Finding Dory" at the Chateau. At the end of the evening, plans were made for a second date, and we have been inseparable ever since.

In the quiet of our home in Wabasha, after all the family festivities of Christmas were over, we opened our gifts to one another. I opened my gift from Bill, an ice fishing rod and reel. I was excited to use my new pole on the ice, so Bill suggested we get it set up. We got the reel positioned just right, added line and carefully selected a jig. She was a beauty and just right! Then Bill said, "I think it's missing something!" He pulled out a small, beautifully wrapped box. Even then, I was thinking earrings. I opened it up and there was a beautiful ring inside. I immediately started crying; I was so happy and surprised. Bill sat on the couch with me. He said he knew this was what I really wanted for Christmas and that I meant the world to him. He wanted to spend his life with me. Swept up in the moment, he needed a little reminding to actually ask me to marry him, but I answered back with a resounding "yes!"