Summer of 2022, Morgan has just moved to Southern California to begin her teaching career and Ben had been working in Holstein, Iowa as the Park & Recreation Director. Ben took a chance and messaged Morgan on Instagram thinking he knew her!

Originally Morgan didn't plan on flying back to South Dakota for Thanksgiving break, but Ben convinced her that he'd take her on the best first date EVER, so, she booked a flight home. The two enjoyed the few days going downtown Sioux Falls!

Back in South Dakota for Christmas vacation, Benjamin and Morgan continued to soak up all the time together that they could get! Here they are celebrating some of Ben's (and now Morgan's!) friends!

Morgan was excited to show Ben around a city that means so much to her -- Phoenix, AZ! This is where Morgan spent a semester study teaching at Arizona Lutheran Academy. It meant the world to travel with Ben to celebrate a friend's wedding.

Ben officially asks Morgan to be his girlfriend!! Morgan had moved back to South Dakota so now seeing each other was much easier! Morgan now living in Brookings now (45 minutes from Sioux Falls) and Benjamin with a new job in Sioux Falls, life as a couple was much easier. Bonus fun: Morgan got to meet Ben's best friend -- Evan! :-)

FINALLY after two years, Morgan and Benjamin are living in the same town, not having to worry about distance. Morgan begins her new job at Sioux Falls Lutheran as a K-12 Spanish Teacher and volleyball coach. Hue was happy Morgan was home now :-)

The couple share a love for the Minnesota Vikings (Ben moreso). If the two can survive being a Vikings fan, they can survive any challenges life may throw at them!

Ben had asked Morgan to go on a date this Friday. During the date, Ben received a call saying that the Schmunk family was going to host a dinner to welcome Gaby and Parker's little girl, Emersyn. Ben told Morgan that we had to raincheck the date. The began to drive and ended up at the Arrowhead Parkway house. The lack of cars in the parking lot was confusing to Morgan. When we went out to the deck and nobody was there, Morgan began to wonder the real reason they were there. The rest is history :-) It's easily the best day of their lives!