Bethany and I have the same recollection of the afternoon we first met. A college balcony, and a bike ride to summarize it quickly. However, my rendition of the encounter is much more expressive. This is our story. Bethany and I lived in adjacent apartment buildings while attending Kirkwood. Both of our apartment patios opened up to a courtyard, which were most of the college aged community interacted. One afternoon I decided to go for a long bike ride throughout the Southwest side of Cedar Rapids. As I returned to the apartment complex, I strolled my bike through the courtyard area and saw a friend of mine talking to a short, attractive, brunette whom was standing outside on the patio of her apartment. That was the first time Bethany and I met each other. Now Bethany disagrees on this next part, however, ladies picture any attractive male in your favorite movie. Now that same guy just gets done with his workout session and returns looking sweaty and super jacked/swole/ or buff...that's what I like to think I looked like as I was looking up at her from the courtyard. I suppose its all up for debate, but Bethany did think I was cute at the time. Fast forward a few weeks later my roommates and I were eventually invited to a party at their apartment. It was there that I actually asked Bethany for her phone number. Obviously she took some liking to me as we talked over the next month or so. It was October 28 of 2013 that I officially asked her to be my girlfriend. Our first date consisted of dinner at a Mexican restaurant, a round of mini golf (which I lost...and still continue to lose to her to this day), and ended with us drinking apple cider on a crisp October night at a nearby park. I suppose our time together isn't something out of a story book or TV series. We've had our ups and downs, and spent quite a bit of time apart. But in the end, she is mine and I am hers. And that's what really matters.

Once upon a Sunday Night Football game the Green Bay Packers took on the Kansas City Chiefs at the loudest proclaimed venue in Arrowhead Stadium. Tickets were ridiculously expensive as it was going to be a historic showdown between sure-fire hall of fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and tentatively future hall of famer Patrick Mahomes. Or so we thought. Mahomes had gotten hurt a few weeks before and much of the anticipation was drained from the tentative showdown between the two historic franchises. None the less, it was going to be a historic day for me regardless. It was my mom, dad, and I all dressed in our proud Packers apparel. Bethany, however, dressed head to toe in Chiefs gear...this broke my heart...but I suppose given the occasion I could forgive her. Despite her rooting for the home town Chiefs, the Packers prevailed in a 31-24 victory. Despite the loss, Bethany would still come out with a win at the end of the night. I waited for a large majority of the stadium crowd to disperse and asked Bethany to take picture with me down in a lower part of the stand. I told her I wanted to have the the ambiance of the stadium in the background. Being honest I don't remember the speech that I had prepared multiple times over. It didn't matter because when I looked at Bethany, my mind went blank. I was staring at the woman who was going to become my wife. The same woman who I had been with for 5 years and 364 days (this game coming just 1 day before our 6 year dating anniversary). The same woman who I would grown old with. Down on one knee, the bright lights of the stadium beaming down on us, Bethany with tears in her eyes. Obviously she said yes, her ring shining bright, and the embrace of my family as I finally made it official. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson est. 2020