In the spring of 2021, life looked very different. Karenna was a sophomore at Fresno State University, while Noah was living south of town in the Caruthers/Fowler/Raisin City area. The world was still in the middle of a pandemic. There were no football games, no in-person classes, and very little social opportunities. Dating, to say the least, was complicated. After months off dating apps, one of Karenna’s roommates convinced her to give Bumble a try. That same night, she matched with Noah. Those of you who knew her at the time know that she was very picky about who she “swiped on” and even pickier with who she was willing to give her time to. One of her other roommates had even told her mother, Bree, months before, that “when Karenna starts dating someone, we will all know that it could be for forever.” Almost instantly after matching on Bumble, Karenna & Noah knew it was something special. After just two weeks of talking, Karenna agreed to go on a date with Noah. Those two weeks went by, and Noah picked her up at her college apartment, Palazzo, on March 5th, 2021. Being the well raised gentleman that he is, he spent the day detailing his truck for her and showed up nicely dressed with a bouquet of flowers in hand. They had a long dinner at Texas Roadhouse where their conversation was effortless and fun. When the evening should have ended after Noah’s truck pulled into Palazzo’s parking lot, neither wanted to say goodbye. Feeling confident as ever that their relationship was only beginning, Karenna invited Noah upstairs to face the “firing squad,” her three female roommates and a male friend. Those four had been waiting upstairs for Karenna to hear how the date went, of course tracking her phone’s location throughout the night (as girls do nowadays) since Noah was a stranger! She texted them to say that they were both coming up, and they were as shocked as Karenna was that he was brave enough to meet all of them on night one! They all sat around talking for hours, walked to Cold Stone for ice cream, and her roommates then invited him to the Apt 214 “family dinner” that was taking place the next day. On that Saturday, March 6th, Noah joined them for pasta with homemade bolognese sauce. Later, during a conversation with his mom, Jen, and grandma, Barbara, Karenna learned just how unusual that was—“He must really love you if he ate onions.” It remains a running joke between the three of them all these years later. From that Saturday on, both of them knew this was something special. It took less than a week for Noah to ask Karenna to be his girlfriend, and the timing of everything felt completely natural to them both. I guess it’s true what they say: “when you know, you know.” The years since have been full of milestones and challenges. They supported each other through Noah’s time in lineman school, the remainder of Karenna’s college years, and eventually the biggest test of all—moving in together in a completely different state. Washington has brought challenges like new careers, long commutes, feelings of being homesick, and the general ups & downs of adulthood. Through everything, they have leaned on each other, celebrated each other’s successes, and grown even stronger as a team. Noah & Karenna have never been more sure of a decision than they are about spending the rest of their lives together. That decision was solidified on August 22nd, 2025, when Noah asked Karenna to marry him on the shores of Lake Crescent, WA. Now, four and a half years after they met, they are preparing to continue their journey as husband & wife. They could not be more thrilled for this next chapter of their life together to begin, and are so excited to celebrate with family and friends on August 8th, 2026. Thank you to each and every one of you. Neither of them would be the people they are today without your love, support, and encouragement along the way. Cheers to forever!