Kyle and Karen met in 6th grade at Red Smith School, where their friendship began during tech ed class as they worked on projects or enjoyed free time on the computers. Their first memorable moment together was when they each made wooden cars and raced against each other.

Although their friendship started in tech ed class, it truly blossomed in art class. In their last year of middle school, they sat next to each other, and their competitiveness continued, further solidifying their bond.

When high school began, Kyle and Karen went their separate ways but always kept in contact. As they grew as individuals, so did their friendship. On January 14, 2019, after many years of being friends, Kyle asked Karen to be his girlfriend. They went on their first date to the bowling alley. Despite the typical awkwardness of a teenage first date, they soon went on their second date to Smart Cow.

This was just the beginning of many dates over the years. The couple has been in a long-distance relationship for the last four years while Kyle has been away at UW-Platteville. They have grown into adulthood together, learning a lot along the way. Despite the challenges of long distance, they have always stayed strong as a couple, supporting each other to succeed in life and in faith

The Proposal

After many years together and countless conversations about their future, Kyle knew he wanted to propose to Karen. It took months of planning, but with the help of his mom and Karen's youngest sister, he began to prepare for the big moment. Kyle reached out to Karen's sister for guidance on asking for Karen's hand in Spanish, while his mom helped with the ring and other preparations.

On August 18, 2023, Kyle picked up Karen from her house in the morning, and they went to have breakfast at her family’s restaurant. They talked for a long time, savoring the moment as if time stood still. Afterwards, they headed to the bowling alley where they had their first date. Soon after, they went to get some froyo at Smart Cow. Karen remarked on how crazy it was that they had their first sit-down date there and reminisced about the many memories they had from that place.

Kyle was recreating their special memories as they were about to create a new one on this day. When the moment felt right, Kyle asked Karen if they could take a walk on their usual trail at Triangle Hill. They arrived and took a different path, stopping under the sun next to two distinct rocks. Finally, right under the sunlight, Kyle got down on one knee...