On New Year's Eve 2021, we both sadly watched Michigan football lose to Georgia and decided to celebrate the incoming New Year a different way. We made our way to a bar out in the middle of nowhere near Fenton. I was celebrating with my cousin, while Jared was with his friends. He spotted me across the dance floor and knew he wanted to go up to me. As midnight came and we cheered for 2022, Jared came up to me and asked for a hug for the New Year. I was touched at how sweet he was and asked Jared if he had had his kiss, and then proceeded to reach out and kiss him. The rest is history! It was both of our first New Year's kiss with anyone, and now we will continue to be each others' kiss every year!

Back in February of 2023, we ran into Kay jewelers to resize a bracelet and ended up, unintentionally, picking out our wedding rings. As one could imagine, I was ready for him to pop the question after seeing my engagement ring! We had both planned a vacation to Mackinac Island together later that July, so Jared went back and bought my ring because he wanted to ask me while we were there. Once July came and we got to the island, we were exploring the downtown area, and I noticed that he had a bunch of papers in his hands. Thinking that I was going to help him out, I asked for the papers, and while he was reading something I went to open his backpack to put the papers in there. He immediately freaked out and said he could do it! I became upset because I was trying to help him, and I didn't realize that he didn't want me to come across the ring. He felt really badly about his reaction, but he knew that he would be making it up to me later. Soon we were biking around, and Jared was trying to think of the perfect spot to propose. I kept mentioning this beach that I thought was really beautiful and wanted to swim at, so he knew that was where he wanted to propose. We finally made our way to the beach and I was ready to jump in the water. As I started to mention that, Jared asked if we could walk and look around the area. I questioned him at first, but then I relented and walked with him. I noticed that he was acting weird because he looked like he was on a mission. He kept walking us up and down the coastline. I thought his behavior was strange, but I didn't realize that he was trying to find the perfect spot on the beach to propose that wasn't around very many people. Eventually, he stopped and said that he needed to get a drink from his backpack. I turned away while he was doing that to look at the water, and when I turned around he was down on one knee with my ring! I would like to say that I accepted gracefully, but instead I fell to my knees and started hysterically crying and screaming with joy. I couldn't form the words to say yes very well, but Jared got the message and put my ring on. A lady that was laying out on the beach with her family saw the proposal happen, and kindly came over and offered to take our picture. The rest of the day was spent calling our family and friends and enjoying the rest of the time on the island together as an engaged couple!