Our story began at Saint Mary's Central High School in Bismarck where we became friends before graduating together in the class of 2015. That fall, we spent time in the same friend group orienting to our new normal at the University of Mary. Throughout our college years, we were together for many group movie nights, sand volleyball games, bonfires, concerts, nights downtown, events, and classes. Kristen graduated in 2018 and left for graduate school in speech pathology at the University of North Dakota. Two years later after Kristen finished her degree, we traded places when it was Alex’s turn to live and study in the coldest city in North Dakota for medical school. It wasn’t until the summer of 2023, when we were both living back in Bismarck and playing in our usual league of coed sand volleyball, that we decided to go out just the two of us for drinks. Our first official date after that was dinner and a walk up the hill to where we started college together at the University of Mary. This was followed by many other special dates throughout the next four seasons. After Alex’s graduation this past May, we went on a trip to Zion National Park where we got engaged and started making plans to spend the rest of our lives together! Looking back throughout the years, it's clear that God was at work all along with His intricate plan and timing, guiding our friendship and transforming it into a forever love. We are so excited to start our journey as a married couple in Rochester, MN, where we will move after our wedding so that Alex can continue his residency training at Mayo Clinic.