Our first date was at El Maguey on Cinco de Mayo in 2018. I had asked Ryan out and it just so happened that he was free the same day my dad was visiting me from out of state. Ryan came inside and invited my dad to go to dinner with us, luckily he declined. Ryan even came inside to say good bye to my dad after dropping me off.

After Thanksgiving 2018 Ryan and I were making the drive from Downers Grove, IL to St.Joseph, MO when a snowstorm was starting in Chicago. I received a phone call that I did not have to report to work the next day, but Ryan still had to go in. I decided to spend one more day with family, so we took the next exit to say goodbye. At a random Shell gas station outside of Chicago, in a snowstorm, we said our first "I love you."

Ryan proposed January 18th, 2022 on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. We were in Hawaii doing annual training with the Missouri Air National Guard. On one of our free days we hiked Kuliouou Ridge, right before the trail was closed off for the evening. Ryan found a beautiful spot that overlooked the mountains and ocean. He dropped to one knee and asked me if I would spend the rest of my life with him. It was the easiest question I had ever been asked. We celebrated with friends and coworkers of the 241st Air Traffic Control Squadron the rest of the trip.

Surprise! We're over the moon to announce we were married May 14th, 2022 in an intimate ceremony with friends and family in Kansas City, MO. Except for our parents and some key helpers, our guests thought they were celebrating our engagement. Up until three weeks before the wedding, it was still an engagement party. However, everything came together so effortlessly and we realized that the small, non-traditional wedding we had dreamed of was just a few more vendors away. We took this opportunity, surrounded by friends and family, to exchange our vows and begin our life together as husband and wife. We are thrilled and relieved to swap out the stress of wedding planning for the joys of being newly-weds.

We will keep you updated as to when and where for our casual celebration. Just know, we would love to celebrate with you! Right now we are busy starting our lives together. I graduate the University of Missouri Kansas City, May 15th, 2022. Then I will be moving to Indianapolis to join Ryan. I start working as an ER nurse at IU Methodist Hospital in June. Ryan is currently in training as an Air Traffic Controller at Indy Center. We can't wait to celebrate with you as soon as we are settled down!