We met in college in Aberdeen, South Dakota — two paths crossing at just the right moment. What began as a simple connection quickly became something neither of us could ignore. After our first year, Laurenz graduated, and I made the decision to pursue my Master’s degree. With that came a season we once thought we would never choose — long distance. I headed for Terre Haute, IN and Laurenz headed back to Memphis, TN. If you know me, you know I always said I would never do it. But some loves are worth rewriting your own rules for. There were months filled with busy schedules, long phone calls, airport goodbyes, and more “see you soon” than we would have liked. The hardest part was simply missing each other. Yet through every mile between us, our commitment only deepened. We learned how to choose each other daily — with patience, faith, and unwavering love. When I finished my Master’s, we began dreaming about where our forever would begin. After much prayer, searching, and a handful of interviews, we chose Kansas City as the place to build our life together. In April of 2025, Vixie and I made the move. Laurenz joined us in June, and our home finally felt complete. That October, we welcomed our second pup, Loki — and our little family grew in both love and laughter. After a holiday season surrounded by family and dear friends, Laurenz chose a date that had quietly meant everything to us — the fourth anniversary of the day he first messaged me. On that day, he asked me to spend forever by his side. And without hesitation, I said yes. We are endlessly grateful for the journey that brought us here and cannot wait to celebrate the beginning of our forever with you in 2027.