Welcome to our happily ever after.

Going back generations, our families have known each other for years. Grandparents, aunts, parents, and cousins all went to school together in the local community. In 2011, I met Jon for the first time at Sparks Firehouse Deli in Puyallup, Washington, a historic site near the Washington State Fair. It was an open-mic night at the restaurant. "Do you see that boy over there?" my mother asked, "I know his family!" She rushed us over and introduced ourselves to him. Instantly, I had the biggest crush on this teenage boy. Me, being four years younger, Jon definitely was not interested at the time.. Regardless, I would constantly let him know that tall, handsome bass players were my type. "Will you take me on a date when I turn sixteen?" I asked, hopeful. "If you make it that long waiting" - he replied. Flash forward to my sophomore year of high-school; my mother became incredibly ill and was hospitalized over thirty times in the ICU at Good Samaritan Hospital. To check in on me and make sure I was alright, Jon took me to the Washington State fair. We played carnival games, rode the scariest rides (against my will), and he won prizes for me. Since then, we've been inseparable, as he has been my rock and constant support in life.

On December 3rd, 2021, I was giving a speech at A Victorian Country Christmas for their singing nativity show, a production with an audience of over a thousand people a year. I was attempting to fundraise for my non-profit, Miss Exceptional and the Exceptional Families Network. Every year since 2012, I have given a speech on this stage requesting donations. It was a normal year like every other, or so I thought. I was slightly bummed that Jon said he had to work at the hospital that night and couldn't support me like usual. Little did I know he was hiding behind the curtains of the stage. After my speech was finished, a flash mob of dancers from my old dance academy came flooding the stage to a mash up of songs my mom created. At first I was very confused, not realizing what was happening. As pageants taught me, "gracious and flexible", so I just rolled with it! It wasn't until the song "Marry Me" by Bruno Mars came on that I realized someone was being proposed to, and that someone was ME! Jon came onstage with a microphone and asked me to marry him: the EASIEST yes of my life!

Now, in 2023, we have been dating for over eight-years and living together in a quaint apartment in Puyallup for almost two. Jon never believed I would wait four years to date him, but man was he wrong. I'm dedicated to things I want! We are so blessed to have the life we have together. We constantly work to push each other to reach for our dreams and pursue new adventures. The decision to spend the rest of our lives together was an easy one. Jon is easily the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I could not be more grateful for the love he shows me everyday. We are so excited to spend the rest of our lives together! #HitchingTheHowards