We met in June of 2023… on Hinge, of all places. As it turns out, perfect timing really is everything — we had both recently changed our location settings, and one swipe later, our story began. Kayla was instantly drawn to Zach’s love for his family and sense of adventure, even if the mention of being a travel physical therapist raised a few questions. Zach liked Kayla right away too, especially her love for animals and her kindness, though he wasn’t quite sure how she felt — especially since Kayla wasn’t feeling great that day. A few dates in, things started to feel easy. As conversations opened up — especially around future plans and Zach’s travel assignments — we found ourselves connecting more deeply. Somewhere between a long drive to a Lumineers concert, Thai food, car snacks, and meaningful late-night conversations, it became clear this was something special. Our first three months together were spent long distance, with Zach in Washington and Kayla back in Minnesota. Those months taught us the importance of communication, planning ahead, and making FaceTime dates count. When Kayla visited Zach in Washington for a week, everything clicked. From exploring national parks to simply doing everyday life together, we got a glimpse of what the future could look like. A cherished 18 months later including multiple apartment/town house moves throughout the Twin Cities, spontaneous ice cream runs, weekend trips and many concerts and Zach proposing on a trip to Hawaii at sunrise on a quiet beach. Kayla had been suspicious for days, while Zach did his best to throw her off — despite looking nervous during the car ride across the island. Like their whole relationship together, the day included a morning walk (a little extra special this time) and adventure, this time with an ebike tour through the Jurassic Park jungle . We soaked in the moment together, keeping the engagement just between us for half the day before sharing the news with friends and family. These days, our life is filled with new hobbies including Kayla golfing, Kayla leading cooking classes for Zach, Thai food, time with our cat Zion, attending church, being with each other’s families, and squeezing in a competitive cribbage tournament whenever we can. We’re so grateful for the journey that brought us here — and we can’t wait to continue doing life side by side.