To tell Our Story, you need an entire dinner to do it properly, just ask our parents! There are so many stories to share. Fortunately for you, our dearest family and friends, I have a word count so you need not suffer it! Instead I will briefly share an abridged version of how we ended up together on this wonderful path to walk hand in hand towards marriage. Our story starts on a sunny Fall morning in 2023. Anna’s JPII Crew was hosting a canoe trip at the Catholic Ecology Center. I’d never met her before nor had I heard of this Crew, but the trip sounded fun, a bunch of friends were going, and I was free. Why not right? I arrived at the trip and… nothing remarkable happened. I know, I know, that was the big moment where sparks should fly, but nope. The only moment of note was my offhand comment about how Anna’s group should go snowboarding that winter. It wasn’t until a week later that we finally got a real introduction. I received a text from an unknown asking to call. I said yes, and it was Anna. She called in search of a leader for an event at an indoor ski place called Urban Slopes. I said yes, but she said we also needed to go beforehand to try it out, just us. How sly! I said yes right away! Ken, the manager, must have sensed something between us because he dimmed the lights and treated it like it was a date. In retrospect, the man had good eyes, because he was right about us. 2 weeks later, Anna recruited me to be the JV basketball coach at Chesterton Academy, and about a month after that, Thanksgiving Sunday, I finally picked up enough signs to properly pursue her and take her on a date. We went snowboarding on our first date and spent way too long in the car afterward talking into night. When Anna woke the next morning, I received a couple of texts cursing my name for her many bruises from some hard falls on the hill. I deserved it, if you're forcing my honesty! But despite some sore muscles, we had already established a deep bond and rapport that had transfixed us both and that night had confirmed something incredibly special. I knew I wanted to marry Anna right around the start of summer. I accepted the Chesterton varsity baseball job that spring and the field was right down the street from Anna's place. We became virtually inseparable eating dinner together most nights of the week and always had exciting dates or events planned on weekends. I knew after that spring that I wanted to continue coming home to Anna forever. In June, I took Anna to check out rings. In July, I ordered one and asked permission for her hand from her father. Then, after waiting way too long for the ring to come in, I finally received it in September. Luckily enough, we had already planned a beach walk along the shore of Lake Michigan on Saturday the 28th. After morning Mass, we drove to the beach with the ring hidden in my pocket. Prior to that Saturday, I had set up my best man, Matt, to hide behind us and capture the proposal once we reached the spot I had planned out, but Anna has a pretty good instinct for these things. She sniffed out that something was up and wouldn’t leave the car. After a couple minutes, Matt accidentally walked past us and the game was up. Anna knew our secret, but now came the harder part. She needed to be patient until I did it! We were still going to enjoy our walk if I had a say in it! After completing a rather antsy walk for Anna, I proposed on the shores of Lake Michigan and Anna, although she took some time (she claims it was because she’s so deeply in love), said Yes. We’ve been preparing for marriage ever since. With full hearts and open hands we are embracing together all the highs and lows that come with it. It’s a journey that has brought us incredibly close in our shared love. It has given us both immense gratitude for the great blessings in our lives and fills us with courage to meet all that comes next! We cannot wait to share the abundance of our love with you all!