Our Story started out in May of 2021, When I had just Graduated from Missouri State University a several months prior, and was looking for my first job out of College. I had accepted a job at MFA Agri-Services in Farmington in a "get me in the company" job at the counter, and just moved in with my Grandparents in Ste. Gen County. One of the first things I needed to do was find a new Church Home, and I had decided on Parkland Chapel to be that home for me. I met lots of new people that summer, and two of those people were Madi, and her Mom Eryn. I have absolutely ZERO memory of this meeting whatsoever. But Madi says it happened so I'll trust her that it did. Fast forward to the Young Adults Christmas Party at Cindi Thurman's House December of 2023, and I was as ready to give up on love as I have ever been. I was 25, almost 26 and had never dated anyone prior. I got a new job selling Kubota Tractors, paid off my student loan debt in less time than I was in college, and was ready for my next chapter, but I couldn't convince a young lady to go on a date with me. It was not from a lack of trying to go on dates, as I had asked several ladies out and always felt confident before asking them that they might be interested in me back. I had begun to talk about my frustration and a few people had tried to set me up with several ladies, but I didn't feel attracted to any of them. The next month, Cindi had planned a snow tubing event for late January at Hidden Valley Resort in Eureka. But 2 weeks before the event, she came to me at church and wanted to talk. She told me "So There's this Girl..." and I actually rolled my eyes at her. I'd heard this line before, and it had never gone well in the past. Why should I think it would be different this time? But I stayed put and let Cindi tell me all about this girl named Madi. How she was childhood friends with her daughter Abbi, came from a great conservative family, and how she was not looking for a boyfriend, but looking for a husband. She showed me pictures of Madi, and I thought, at least she's cute. But I was adamant that I didn't want to go on a completely blind date, so I asked Cindi to try to convince Madi to come to the Tubing Event, I wanted to at least meet this girl once before taking her out. Cindi had been successful and Madi came to the tubing. She stayed with several of the other girls who she had grown up with most of the day, and I didn't get to talk to her much. But I could tell she was reserved, and probably thought more than she spoke, which is something I still admire her for, and wish I could do a little more of. I could also confirm that she was, in fact, a cutie. I went about a week thinking about Madi, and trying to convince myself that she would at least go on the date with me, so at worst, it wouldn't work out and we could just move on, or at best... I'd be typing this story out. I was in Florida for some Kubota Sales Training, and as I laid in the King size hotel bed, I couldn't help but think about how lonely I really was in life. I didn't know that Madi would be my wife someday, but I decided it was worth trying to find out. I texted her and asked if she'd like to go to dinner at Colton's Steakhouse that weekend. She accepted and I planned to pick her up. I re-introduced myself to her parents, who had recognized me from Parkland, and their Weimaraner Toby sat on my foot. I didn't know at the time, but Toby only sat on family member's feet, never a stranger. Maybe he knew. We went to Colton's and enjoyed ourselves, though getting Madi to talk was somewhat a chore. Then after dinner we went bowling. I had thought the date went fine, but didn't think it would have led to a ring. We kept seeing each other every weekend though, and the more time I spent with her, the more she opened up to me. Almost a month later, I asked her to be my girlfriend and by late May, it became clear to me, this girl will be my Wife. And on July 14, 2024, I asked her to be.