Join us on our special day

I can only remember a few things from Andale's story hour, but one thing I've always remembered was the boy with the juice boxes. Every day at snack he would give his away, and he became my favorite person to sit next to. Sophomore year we were both on the Robotics team and in the school choir at Andale High School. Between shared laughs and teenage antics Will and I began to get to know each other. Our Robotics team placed 2nd that year, which meant we would go to Regionals in Arkansas. We braved Carmen's driving and iced over interstates to make it to Ft. Smith. If anything could make two people appreciate each other's company, it would be sitting in a school bus as it slides sideways down high ways right along with semi trucks.

By our junior year, Will and I had become good friends. We had a lot in common, and being around each other was always a good time. We had a few classes together throughout the day, and before I knew it I was watching the clock, begging time to move faster so that I could get to classes we had together. Our favorite was chemistry. It was a time for us to fly through our class work so that we could just sit and chat, goof off, and listen to music. Soon it was my favorite time of every day.

Our senior year, Will returned to the Robotics team. I told him once, "You are like my good luck charm. Things are better with you around." Despite both of us feeling sure that the other did not like them as more than friends, we found ourselves taking every excuse to spend time together. We had Lord of the Rings marathons, study nights, we played video games together, and spent a lot of time with his cats. Thanks to a friend 'cancelling suddenly,' Will and I found ourselves eating dinner together, and that day we began dating.

On January 20, 2021, after over five years of dating, Will took me to Bricktown Brewery, the site of that first dinner together. As creatures of habit, we ordered our usual and enjoyed our first date night in months, thanks to COVID. On our way back to my apartment, Will asked if I would like to go on a walk. We walked down to the Keeper of the Plains, and Will got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. It took everything in me to hold back the "Finally!" and settle for "Yes!"