Our story begins summer of 2017. Ria messaged me on OkCupid and commented on a picture of me overlooking the Canadian Rocky Mountains. We started texting and talking over the phone and then decided to meet in-person. Our first date was June 21, 2017, at Olbrich Botanical Gardens. We were both so nervous! I remember Ria picking up litter around the garden as we traversed around looking at all the plants and pretty flowers while getting to know one another.

We spent the next few months going on dates, meeting friends, family, and exploring the great outdoors. Through our combined love for all things nature and being there for one another through life’s waves we quickly became each other’s best friend.

From then on we were like meteorites who had fallen for each other in the same starry night lighting up each other’s path, caring and supporting one another. On Nov. 18th we said, “I love you,” by tracing out letters on each other’s back and guessing what the other had written.

Some of our favorite days together have been exploring antique malls, country road drives, visiting cat cafés, Ria making home-made “crumpets” and cupcakes for me, counting hawks on road trips, going to Midwest Tea Fest and taking tea-making classes, him assisting in my classroom for our annual geode-cracking party as the “rock specialist”, Ria showing me all of his favorite fishing spots and seeing him in his happy place, star-gazing out at Indian Lake, hiking at UW-Arboretum and saying hello to the turkeys, Pheasant Branch Conservancy views, chasing butterflies, and him putting flowers in my hair, driving my wheelchair at top speed with Ria in rollerblades hanging onto the back of me (music blasting hehe), getting lost in nature out at Olin Park as we followed two blue birds calling to each other, Ria's willingness to help me plant a whole garden, finding silly moments often and making each other laugh, and doing anything outside in the sunshine.

On June 21, 2023, he proposed under a willow tree to the song, “Colors of the Wind” as we enjoyed a beautiful sunset with charcuterie, cake, tea, and mosquitos (lol) at Pauquette Park in Portage, WI. Shortly after, we adopted our first kitten and named her Willow after grandmother Willow. Then after several more months adopted another kitty and named her Oakie.

Together we’ve both discovered what it truly means to be seen fully and be enough. Each day is a gift, an adventure together, and we are so grateful for each other! Finding the little things to be thankful for each day and seeing beauty amongst life’s anxieties, chaos, and tragedies while supporting one another has been a very grounding lesson in this journey we call life.

Join us this summer as we say “I do” and kick off the next phase of our life together under a beautiful, old, oak tree. We are SO excited to share this day with you all!

“Adventure awaits.”