While Rayna was working the breakfast shift at Whitey's Bar downtown Stillwater, John and his childhood friend Brett, came in to have breakfast then ended up staying for the Cowboys vs. Packers game. As they were bantering back and forth about who was going to win, John asked Rayna if she wanted to bet $5 on the game-of course he wanted the Packers to win. She said "sure" and bet on the Cowboys...BEST $5 Rayna has ever lost. After work, Rayna texted Brett and asked if he and John wanted to come back downtown and play ping pong at a different bar. So, they all met at No Neck Tony's. Rayna beat John at ping pong, although he won at darts. They lost track of each other that night but John showed up at Whitey's the next day. He asked for her number and so it began! John and Rayna quickly became best friends, have gone on countless adventures, fished and golfed, shared holidays and family vacations together, watched movies, cooked together and spent any and all available weekends at the Green Weiner.

In May of 2022, on one of many fun trips, John and Rayna went to Ireland together with her siblings, Lisa, Tommy, and their significant others. Much to everyone's surprise, John traveled across the country toting an engagement ring. During one of their day trips to Howth, a quaint fishing village, John asked Rayna to take a walk down the pier. As they were walking down the pier, John asked Rayna if she was inebriated and her response was "I'm not drunk but John, it's 2pm and we're in Ireland!" At the end of the pier, they sat on the steps, he proposed and she said yes! Afterwards, he said that if she would have said no, he would have pushed her into the water and she responded with "That's ok, I'm an excellent swimmer!" After 8 years together, we can't wait to celebrate with all of you on Saturday, September 23, 2023!