In May of 2018, we matched on a dating app and messaged back and forth for about a week until the conversation slowly died down (*cough* Noah stopped replying *cough*). A few weeks later, we came across each other on a different dating app (what are the odds?) and matched again. This time, Noah sent Erica his number as his opening line, and although skeptical, Erica decided to give him a second chance. After talking over text and Snapchat throughout the month of June, we meet for the first time on June 29th, 2018 in Loveland, Colorado. We spent our first date watching Santa Clarita Diet (RIP), drinking 90 Schilling, and getting to know each other. We both felt a sense of comfort and familiarity from the moment we met, and there was something so easy and effortless about our time together that night. After leaving at the end of the date, Erica texted a friend saying, "This sounds crazy, but I could see myself marrying him." When you know, you know!

We spent a lot of time together over the summer of 2018, and quickly fell for each other. We realized that we can relate so easily to one another, but that we were different enough to learn from and challenge each other. We also started to recognize that we both have similar values and worldviews, which is something that both of us cared deeply about in a partnership. One day in August, we decided at the last minute to attend a concert with Noah's good friend and current roommate in Denver. Neither of us knew the band but we still had a great time. We sat down at a table after standing (for what felt like hours). After talking for a little while, Noah took Erica's hand, removed the ring that Erica was wearing on her right middle finger, and asked her to be his girlfriend. Erica said yes, and then Noah put the ring back on the same finger.

We celebrated several milestones during the weekend of May 3rd, 2019. First, Erica graduated with her master's degree from University of Northern Colorado, and was blessed enough to have her mom, Barbara, two of her brothers, Scott and Sean, and Noah's mom, Anita, visit Colorado to spend the weekend together. Erica's 24th birthday was 2 days later, so it was the perfect time for everyone to get together. Noah's amazing brother and sister-in-law, Luke & Krystal, were generous enough to have all of us over for dinner in their backyard in Loveland, CO. They made us a delicious meal and even decorated their backyard with lights, flowers, and a beautiful dinner setting. After dinner, we decided it was time for Erica to open her birthday presents. When Erica got to Noah's presents, which were the last to open, he handed her a birthday card to open. In that card was a heartfelt note from Noah that said today was the day he was going to propose. Before Erica even finished reading the note, she started crying and Noah got down on one knee with a ring in his hand. Both in tears, Erica of course said yes! There was nothing that could have made that day more perfect, and we are so incredibly thankful that we had so many of our close family members there to experience the start of the rest of our lives together.