I (Nicole) recently asked Tyler if he remembered how we met, "uhhh.... friends? I don't know". I guess you could blame his answer on all the wine we had just consumed, but I think maybe it's the result of being in each other's lives longer than not being in them. In his defense, I don't remember meeting either. What I do remember, is him "asking me out" in Mr. Smallwood's woodworking class on a cold January day in 2005 - that's 7th grade for all of you keeping track. We kissed that February on a half-day behind some apartment buildings in Old Orchard. High school is a blur of driver's ed (hey, if we survived that, we can survive anything), "romantic" dinners at PF Changs, about a bazillion WGHS sporting events, Tyler helping me pass physics & him copying my weekly vocabulary assignment (still proud we didn't get caught even after we both misspelled "ecstasy"). In 2010, Tyler took off to the University of Tulsa, while I went to Truman State. College is mostly a drunken, hazy blur (just kidding, Mom & Dad!!!), but we survived four years of long distance dating. After graduation & in the Summer of 2014, we headed west to Fort Collins, CO. In the four years we were there, we adopted a couple of dogs, learned to ski, visited 10+ national parks, ran a half marathon together and drank too many beers to count. In the spring of 2018 Tyler received a promotion and our clan relocated to Portland, Oregon. Shout out to all our friends & family for your love and support; we couldn't have done this without you

We were on a sunrise hike in Joshua Tree National Park (which, by the way, Nicole had only grudgingly agreed to go on). The sun was just peeking over the giant boulders and everything was cotton candy pink. Tyler pulled the ring out of a Saint Louis Cardinal's beanie. After the hike we went back to our AirStream in the middle of the desert, drank Bud Light Limes and called all our friends and family. Best. Day. Ever!!!