We met at Cowboy Jacks in Plymouth, Minnesota through mutual friends. I first over heard Kai say "Pierre, South Dakota" and I immediately faced him to ask "What about Pierre, SD?" Yes, I immediately got defensive, haha. Kai grew up in Pierre, South Dakota and I lived in Pierre for two years after college. However, our paths didn't cross until we were both living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The very definition of a SMALL WORLD. Our initial conversation was about our mutual friends in Pierre and then the uncontrollable laughing began when we noticed the cook in the kitchen eating meat with his bare hands off of a whole fresh cooked bird. I added Kai as a friend on Facebook that evening and we never stopped chatting. I had to wait three whole weeks for our first date. Kai was in Europe for one of his good friend's wedding and I was back home already telling my sister I was going to marry him!

On April 8, 2016, another regular Friday, I made dinner with Kai in his apartment and settled down at the kitchen table to play Cribbage. He had recently come back from Vegas and instructed me to grab the cards he brought back after I physically had another deck shuffled in my hands. Little did I know he had a sneaky trick up his sleeve. My deal, my crib and there it was, the five of hearts was staring at me with a written question. In the moment I read the question "Will you go out with me?" I knew this was Kai's way of making our status as a couple exclusive, official, signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours. In the moment all I could do was grab a hold of his neck and kiss him, three or four times (I lost count) and said "Yes"!

Saturday, April 8, 2017, Kai and I were off to go to our new home. We made plans with our realtor to measure a wall for a crafty gift Kai's mom was planning for our new home. Our realtor, Mary, left the door open for us so we could go inside and do our thing because she had a quick errand to run. We walked inside and I'm ready to measure this wall and start making notes on all the door knobs I want to change and Kai asks me to come into the kitchen. I walked into the kitchen and on the counter are balloons, bouquet of flowers, a wrapped present and a note that says, "Congratulations you two, go ahead and open it." I told Kai, Mary is so sweet to do this for us, we should wait for her to get back to open it in front of her. Kai said that I should just open it, like the note says. We go back and forth a few times but finally I said I would open the gift. I tear the paper and I pull out an engraved cribbage board that reads, "Kai & Kayla Engaged 4/8/2017" I turn around and Kai is down on one knee proposing! It was a sweet and memorable moment for us both, especially in our new home. It was the best and most thought out proposal (I may be biased). The surprises kept coming too! My mom, brother-in-law, sister and best friend surprised me at lunch and we had the best time celebrating and relishing in our greatest moment to date.