Mike and Kristi FIRST met in 2012 when their mutual friend (Kristi's best friend & neighbor growing up) introduced them when Kristi went out to visit her in Crested Butte (CB), Colorado. Kristi didn't think much of the introduction until she was looking for a place to live upon her upcoming move to CB and realized Mike and his roommate were looking for another tenant for their house in town. Kristi thought "why not?!" and was dropped off at the front door a few months later. Kristi and Mike became fast friends and snowboard buddies. A year (and so many ups and downs) later, after Kristi had fallen in love with Mike, she asked that her dad and brother come pick her up (along with Mike's cat, Theo, whom she had also fallen in love with) and bring her back home to Minnesota - her time in CB had come to an end. Mike spent a lot of those next couple months missing Kristi (and Theo) and sleeping, not in his own bed, but on her bare mattress that she left behind - (with only some coaxing from Kristi) he knew he had to make the move to Minnesota to be with her. In October 2013, Kristi flew out to CB to retrieve Mike and his other cat, Rudy - they moved into a TINY 8th floor studio apartment in Loring Park, Minneapolis. A few apartment and job upgrades later, HERE WE ARE!!!

Mike and Kristi had planned to go to James J Hill Days (a small town carnival nearby where Kristi grew up and where she works today) with Kristi's parents the evening of Saturday, September 7th. There were going to be fireworks and a few different bands playing. There was a good sized crowd and Kristi's aunt & uncle and a couple of her parent's best friends were there to enjoy the show as well (little did they know WHAT show)! After dancing and singing along with the band, they took a break and everyone walked towards the lake to watch the fireworks over Lake Minnetonka. When they went back for the band's second act, Mike bee-lined it to the front of the stage - Kristi wondered what was going on. The drummer of the band went into a little speech about how they love bringing people together and creating memories - he then pointed at Mike and said "actually, I think this young man has something to say..." Mike got on stage and grabbed the mic, he asked Kristi if she would do him the honor of being his best friend for the rest of his life...through much cheering and some tears from members of the crowd, Kristi was pulled on stage. Mike got down on his knee, pulled out the ring they had picked out together, and asked Kristi to marry him. Into the mic Kristi exclaimed "yes, yes, yes!!"