Derek and Madison met at the young age of 2 and 4, give or take, no one really remembers. But all thanks to our parents who have been best friends from the start!

After going to rival middle and high schools, plenty of Dutch Bros and Dairy Queen runs, Derek and Madison stayed close friends through it all. No matter what happened or what was going on, they knew they could call each other and the other would pick up.

After spending two years in Minnesota at Bible College while Derek stayed working in their hometown of Greeley, they occasionally reconnected at the Sundance and various family gatherings like birthdays and the Fourth of July. They always had a ball, but the thought of dating never once crossed their minds.

Come December 2024, Madison was home for Christmas and invited Derek to go to a Denver Nuggets game, claiming "she had no one else to go with". He obliged, and they had the most fun and even made it on the jumbotron! They spent the rest of the night talking and laughing, without a care in the world.

A month later, Derek came to visit Madison in Minnesota. He met her friends and got to know the place that she had grown to love over the last three years there. Two weeks later she came home, he asked her to be his girlfriend, and the rest is history.

Over the course of 8 months, 9 round trip flights, countless phone calls, letters and packages, and plenty of dancing, Derek asked Madison to marry him on July 2nd!

After finishing out two long months of long distance, Derek helped Madison move home in August and they have had the best time enjoying their engagament with family and friends. From setting an original date, but not quite feeling peace about it, to now changing dates and being more excited than ever, Derek and Madison are overjoyed to start their lives together.

Thank you for your continued love, support, and prayer. You are so greatly appreciated and we could not be here without you!