We first officially met after one of Katie’s high school soccer games. We quickly became friends, talking everyday during and after school. Friends became best friends which then became more. After a couple months Ryan asked Katie to be his date at the Christmas dance. A couple days later he asked her to be his girlfriend. Early dates consisted of movie nights and board games, and finding common values, goals, and interests that we still hold in our hearts. We still look back on these early months of our relationship with such fondness, reminiscing about the people we were then and how we have grown together.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we were unable to see each other in person very early into our relationship. While at the time this was challenging for the both of us as we wanted to spend time together, we believe that learning to turn small, mundane tasks into quality time has helped us to flourish over time. Whether it was homework, watching movies, or simply talking, we built the foundation of our relationship on enjoying each other’s company and appreciating the small things in life that we get to do together.

The years we were away at college challenged us and helped us to grow as both individuals and as a couple. Learning how to manage our time, communicate more effectively, explore the Pittsburgh area, and balance both of our schedules and workload did not come easily. We supported each other along the way and came out stronger, and with a better understanding of ourselves and each other.

We began traveling with each other and one another’s family. While we had talked about our dreams of seeing more of the world together, at this point it had finally felt like it could be a reality. From Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to Glacier National Park, Montana and Sandpoint, Idaho within the same month we began envisioning where else we might go together and what else we could experience on our travels. Since then we have visited several national parks including Cuyahoga Valley, Shenandoah, Acadia, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton. Now we have a long list of places we want to see all around the world.

We bought our first home together. The work and projects were initially overwhelming and time consuming, but we learned to take it one day at a time and make time for fun along the way. Sharing our home with our cats, Archie and Zion, and newest addition, our puppy Colt, continues to bring so much joy to our lives. What a gift it is to finally go home to one another each day!

Ryan proposed at Monument Cove in Acadia National Park at 5:10 AM. It was a peaceful, private, and beautiful sunrise that we got to enjoy together and will remember for the rest of our lives. It was a perfect way to start a new chapter in our life together!