“Would you be ok with being set up?” Katherine’s mom offered cautiously. “Like, hypothetically? Um, yeah. I guess so,” replied Katherine. “Great, because Connie Hertzler reached out about her nephew, Nathan. He’s Louise’s grandson!” The Hertzler family was familiar and well loved by the Sipes as Katherine had participated in AWANA Bible memorization ministry led by Nathan’s grandparents for most of her childhood. This was also how she met Nathan’s aunt Connie, and why Katherine said yes to texting the red-bearded, Presbyterian engineer in Huntsville Alabama. Meanwhile, Connie reached out to Nathan and told him about this gal she knew from a family of 15. Connie gave glowing reviews, but explained that Katherine came from a different church background (non-denominational). Nathan cautiously told her, “Yes, I’m down to meet her.” After texting for a week, Nathan and Katherine talked on the phone for the first time. They immediately connected, finding they had so much in common, and talked for 2 hours that first night. A few weeks later, Nathan called Katherine to wish her a happy Valentine’s Day. To her surprise, he also asked to come up to St. Louis to meet her and take her on a date! She joyfully agreed. After only a few minutes in the car on the way to dinner at a Turkish restaurant, Nathan was hit with the thought that this could work out. After arriving back at his aunt and uncle’s house after the date, they asked Nathan: “How’d it go?” …..pause……Nathan said “I’m coming back up here.” This he did two weeks later, and again every few weeks from that point on. Nathan’s dedication to their relationship has resulted in 40,000 miles on his Tacoma as he made the 6-7 hr drive up to St. Louis (plus one long trip West). Katherine also made the trek down to Huntsville regularly. Both grew to love each other’s families. Though raised in different states, they found that their common experience of growing up in large (or very large) Christian homeschool families gave them a very similar upbringing and values. During their time spent together, they have enjoyed hiking, kayaking, trying different international restaurants, spending time with their families, watching sunsets, and studying the Bible. Growing up in different church denominations led Katherine and Nathan to spend hours studying the Bible together when in person, as well as reading books together and talking to couples with similar stories. Through a beautiful turn of events, they found they shared a common love for the Lord and His Word that went far beyond differences in denomination. They are both continually encouraged by one another’s faith. In June of 2024, Katherine invited Nathan to go on their family vacation by Lake Michigan, where they ran a half marathon together on Katherine’s birthday. That evening, sitting on the beach together, Katherine (a nurse) noticed Nathan’s heart beating way faster than normal as he voiced his hope to ask her to marry him sometime within the year. Months later, after an epic hunting trip where he shot an elk in the heart, Nathan officially stole Katherine’s heart as he proposed at the lake near her house. Katherine’s whole family and a few close friends (including Aunt Connie) were gathered to celebrate their engagement. Katherine and Nathan are extremely thankful for the work of the Lord in bringing them together, and give Him all the glory for making it possible. They plan to live in Huntsville, AL where Nathan resides currently and make trips to St. Louis often.