We have known each other since the Spring of 2022, when Molly came to Concordia University, Nebraska (CUNE) to see her brother, Parker, for a college visit. I thought we had first met at a game night that Parker had invited me to; however, I am incorrect, as apparently, Molly sat in on Parker and I’s Old Testament class. I have absolutely no memory of her in that class, but she remembers a ton of details. So, we first met in my Old Testament class. Molly decided to come to CUNE for college! Parker started a Dungeons and Dragons group that included us both, where we became friends during Molly’s freshman and my sophomore year here at Concordia.

The next year we became much closer friends. This started because of the cleverness and matchmaking of a dear friend, Hannah Fasnacht. Molly was taking Number Theory and needed help with a question. Hannah knew I took Number Theory already and called me over to help Molly (and to potentially set us up). After spending more and more time together, I decided to ask her to be my girlfriend. On Thursday, September 21, we were in a Dunklau study room, and I was going to ask Molly to be my girlfriend. Then, a mutual friend, Bella Wolter, called Molly and asked to be put on speakerphone. Bella told me to stop being a chicken and to “do the thing” (ask Molly to be my girlfriend). Well, I did not want Molly to think that I was asking her out just because Bella told me to, so I did not. The next day, we were hanging out in my dorm room, and one of my residents (I was an RA for freshman at the time) had a guitar in the hallway. This resident yelled, "Hey Henry! Is your girlfriend in there?" and serenaded us with the song “Mean” by Taylor Swift on his guitar. It was quite embarrassing. While walking back to Molly’s dorm, I finally asked her to be my girlfriend. Of course, Molly said, “I would like that very much,” with a massive grin on her face, which was illuminated by the moonlight.

After just over a year of dating, on September 27, I proposed to Molly at Branched Oak State Park (the location of our first date). We were there for a picnic date, and Molly had no idea that I was going to propose. Afterward, we celebrated with our friends and family. We spent the rest of the weekend celebrating and starting to plan our wedding.