Kyle and I met at the Anderson University Center at Pacific Lutheran University. I was visiting for lunch after my school year at Washington State had finished, intending to hang out with my brother, Ben, and friend, Mark. At lunch, I met many of their friends, new and old, including Kyle. Over lunch (and a while longer, many thanks to a cancelled frisbee class), Kyle and I connected over playing in our school’s respective symphony orchestras and I made a lot of jokes. Soon afterward, Kyle learned that I was studying Genetics and wondered, “What does one do with a degree in Genetics?” She tracked me down and slid into my DMs with that as her opening line to continue our connection. After days of talking, we both really wanted to go on a date to some of our favorite places.

Kyle and I visited the Taco Bus (RIP) on Meridian in Puyallup and Ice Cream Social on the Tacoma Waterfront then we walked along the water into the sunset, a perfect evening. One thing we remember best is seeing a harbor seal swimming alongside us far out in the Puget Sound - which we believe was an auspicious sign for the future

Our second date went... overall well. I returned to Pullman for summer research, but made a trip back a few weeks later as Kyle suggested treating me to a Seattle Sounders game (a belated birthday present to see my favorite soccer team). Much to her surprise, it was a match (and eventual loss) to our rivals, the Portland Timbers… I was very well behaved. We had a great time dodging the rain showers in the bleachers in the north end of Lumen Field, and we’ve had many dates at Sounders and Sioux Falls City Football Club games since. One girl couldn't be the reason we lost to a team I hate, could she? Soon after that second date, Kyle made a road trip out to Pullman, WA to see a Washington State Cougar Football game. We ended up beating San Jose State 31-0 and eventually winning the Alamo Bowl against Iowa State, one of the greatest seasons in Cougar Football history - Kyle is a good luck charm!

During the pandemic, Kyle and I lived states apart as she started medical school in Vermillion, SD and I stayed in WA to continue graduate school. We made infrequent trips to see each other, including thanksgivings and long weekends for adventures - the long drives to various regional airports, including Omaha and Spokane made the time together even sweeter, but mostly we stayed close with nightly calls.

After finishing graduate school, I packed up my apartment with Mom and Dad and we took a two-day road trip halfway across the country to Sioux Falls. Moving in with Kyle in our apartment down the street from the library has been such a joy. Together we've found a love for our local women's soccer team, Sioux Falls City FC, trivia at Severance Brewery, playing in a strings ensemble at church, biking along the Big Sioux River or in Kyle's cycling classes at the gym, and I even joined a curling team!

Kyle and I both had the day off from our work, so I told her we were having a picnic, packed the cooler (including the ring box wrapped in a towel in a bag) and took her back down to Vermillion, SD to one of her favorite parks overlooking the Missouri River. That beautiful sunny morning I found a secluded spot with a bench and a great view and asked her to marry me. Did I give it away by telling her to do her nails and wear something nice? She certainly seemed suspicious, but generously played along. Afterwards, we had some delicious scones, yogurt, and champagne, and flew our kites.

Kyle and I love to visit our people all over the world and have many adventures under our belt (one positive from long distance, I guess). Our most recent trip though has been one of our favorites! Kyle received a generous scholarship from her national scientific society, US DOHaD, for her work as a trainee member and her excellent presentations about her work researching the placenta to go to the International DOHaD conference in Buenos Aires. I saved up to join her and we road-tripped to Kansas City to start our journey to the biggest city in Argentina. One overnight flight later, we were dusting off our Spanish, sampling empanadas and mate, touring soccer stadiums, and attending asados (grill-outs in the courtyard of an apartment building!). I’ll keep tagging along to conferences just about anywhere when Kyle’s scientific work keeps shining.