Hey guys - Kenzie delegated the task of telling ‘Our Story’ to me. Undoubtedly, it was my lifelong commitment to detailed storytelling that inspired her confidence in me - so here it goes: It was a beautiful summer evening in August 2021, and I walked into Silver Dollar Pizza Co. expecting to meet up with some friends. I saw some unfamiliar faces at their table, and after greeting my buddies, an exceptionally pretty girl with brown hair quipped, “No pressure, but you got talked up a lot before you got here, so you better be cool…” With her ever-playful nature on full display, it’s safe to say Kenzie came in hot. I was immediately struck by her spunk and beauty, and when I realized after some conversation that I found a Midwest girl in Portland, I was especially intrigued. A few weeks later, Kenzie and I coincidentally both attended a Mt. Joy concert at the Roseland Theater, where we realized we had similar taste in music and bonded over our love for live shows. I asked her out on our first date at Bantam Tavern, where I almost scared her away by walking her through my entire basketball career - from Little Tikes to college (her first taste of my detailed storytelling). Fortunately for me, that is not the end of Our Story. As we spent more time together, I started to fall. Fast. However, gravity didn’t seem to affect Kenzie in the same way… After a couple months of seeing each other, I mustered up the courage to ask her to be my girlfriend, to which she replied, “No.” Knowing Kenzie now, things had to be on her terms - so one week later, much to my surprise, she asked me to be her boyfriend. Once we were official, we became what can only be described as a power couple. We both love bringing people together and injecting energy into every gathering (we like to party). Whether it’s a euchre tournament, 2023’s epic NYE party, or one of the 34 concerts we’ve been to together - you can count on us to bring good vibes. In October 2022, I convinced Kenzie to move with me to Vancouver, WA, where we reside today. It wasn’t lost on me how moving away from Portland was a big leap of faith for her, and I saw it as a reflection of her steadfast commitment to our relationship. My first trip to Kenzie’s hometown, Pekin, IL, was a memorable one, and not just because of the -12 degree weather… I got to see where Kenzie grew up, celebrated Christmas with the McLouths, and asked Alan for Kenzie’s hand in marriage. In the spring of 2023, I followed through on a proclamation I had been making to Kenzie since our first few dates: she was the one. I bought a ring and devised my plan. On April 22nd, I got down on one knee at the scenic Skamania Lodge - not far from the place where we’ll say “I do!” And that leads us to the big day - we are so excited to celebrate our love with our closest friends and family in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge in July! Did we mention we like to party?