The Future Fowlers

Our connection started in the Shawnee National Forest at Camp Ondessonk - a place that we both consider a home away from home. We met in 2012 during Ethan's first summer working at camp. A few years later, in 2015 to be exact, I was drawn to Ethan's southern charm and his southern accent. After a couple of years of talking back and forth, we reunited on New Years' eve weekend in 2018. After that, we took our first trip to Memphis, Tenn. in January of 2019 and haven't looked back since! Although long-distance was hard at times, it also allowed us to travel to some great places together. We spent a lot of time in Tennessee - Chattanooga, Memphis, and Franklin and we also took a big trip to Dallas, TX! In between trips, we were traveling back and forth from Montgomery, Ala. and St. Louis, Mo. I think that we would both agree that we wouldn't change being long-distance for anything. Eventually, after almost two years of long-distance, we got our first apartment together in Montgomery, December of 2020. A couple of months later, I FINALLY convinced Ethan that we needed a puppy. We picked up our sweet, baby boy Rudi at the end of March 2021. He is the best-looking chocolate lab that we know! Since then, we have been enjoying our life together with Rudi. Now, the engagement! Ethan planned the perfect day at a beautiful winery (Blue Sky) in Southern, Ill. about 40 min. from camp. Ethan was volunteering at camp for 2 weeks & I went down to go visit him on his weekend off. I thought surely he wouldn't be able to pull off an engagement in-between weeks at camp... I mean, he didn't even have a "plan" of what we were going to do once I got there, or so I thought. Once we got to the winery, he had a beautiful setup and led me under the gazebo, and finally got down on one knee! To say I was shocked was an understatement! After the proposal, we were greeted by my parents and some friends. It was the best day and we are so excited to start our life together as husband & wife!