We met online and started talking about meeting in person, but I kept putting it off after so many unsuccessful dates. This one felt different—I liked him on the phone, but I didn’t want to ruin anything. Brandon was eager to meet, which felt like a good sign. The day we decided to meet was a busy Saturday in August. Bryce had baseball tryouts in the morning and then wanted to go to the rodeo with Brayden, so I didn’t expect our plans to happen. A huge thunderstorm rolled through and I thought the rodeo was canceled, then the sun came back out and it went on. Brandon said we could meet afterward. I was exhausted and thinking about bedtime, but stayed optimistic and we kept in touch through the evening. He was with his friends Matt and Kirstin and invited me to come by after they grabbed dinner and played cards. It sounded scary, but I knew I needed to meet him—so I went. On the drive over I was a jumble of nerves and excitement, asking myself, What am I doing? He called and said they were getting ready for bed and asked if I could come pick him up. It would have been easy to turn around, but I didn’t—and I’m so glad I didn’t. When he climbed into my truck I asked, more than once, whether he was going to kill me; he politely said no every time. As soon as he was there I felt safe. We talked and laughed the whole ride as I took him home. I wished we had more time together, and though I didn’t expect to hear from him again, he texted me on the 15-minute drive home and every morning after. He kept saying we needed a real date, so the following Tuesday we went to dinner. Before that dinner I realized I’d seen him before: our kids had played baseball together, and Bryce had helped coach the team—Brayden and Mason had even been teammates. With so many mutual friends and that connection, it felt like we were meant to find each other. After that night we were basically inseparable. In the last 18 months we’ve traveled to fun places, made memories at countless baseball and hockey games, and he’s been a trooper with the barn and everything it requires. He immediately said we were getting married—so here we are. He proposed on May 11, 2025 (Mother’s Day) with the boys and friends around at the boat ramp. Even after I dropped a heavy pallet on his foot the night before and he ended up out of work for a month (I was still the one—LOL)—he asked me to marry him. I am so excited to marry my best friend and to merge our families. We can’t wait to celebrate with you on October 16th