Josh first (knowingly) laid eyes on MK as she was leaving Hyvee, carrying a carton of strawberries. As Josh was at Hyvee because he was running (very) late to the his first physical therapy school meeting and was required to bring some sort of food item, he knew there were good chances this may not be the last time he saw her. Lucky for him, an hour later he was sitting across a picnic table from her. While the first year or so required immense patience and persistence, soon MK realized she couldn’t live without Josh, as he’d been insinuating from the start. While oftentimes frustrated with his decision to plant himself in the healthcare field, Josh will always be thankful for his decision to attend PT school at Mizzou as without it, he would have never met the love of his life.

Josh and I first crossed paths our first semester of physical therapy school. I was running behind for the Kickoff Picnic (which he would soon learn is the complete opposite of how I typically roll) after stopping at HyVee for last minute strawberries. I found the only picnic table with open seats, and across from me sat Mr Joshua Lizar. I was instantly intrigued by him and found myself wanting to know more. As the summer went on we caught each other locking eyes over cadavers in Gross Anatomy and it wasn't long before we found ourselves spending late nights studying at the library because we knew the other would be there. We ended up spending a lot of time with friends at his apartment on Foxfire Drive watching movies, playing spikeball and playing the occasional game of beer pong. I guess Josh was okay with the occasional losses in all things competition based, because he decided to ask me to be his girlfriend at Beaver Lake in Vail, Colorado just a few months later.

After spending 3 years in Columbia, Missouri we decided to take the cross country journey to the PNW to pursue our careers in physical therapy. During this time we have spent time seeing the country while camping, hiking and skiing, but even more time laughing with (and at) each other. There is not a single dull moment in our household, especially now with the addition of our German Shepard - Blue Heeler mix, Nova. Our engagement took place on Kebler Pass in Crested Butte, Colorado the day after the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl. Josh had his mind set to reach the top of the pass on snowmobiles, which MK thought was him just trying to find the best backcountry ski run he could find, yet little did she know he was scoping out the best view for a surprise engagement spot. It was a weekend filled with so much joy, celebrating two amazing memories together. As we look to the future, our hopes and dreams revolve around seizing every moment and trying new experiences together. Our friends have been a huge part of our journey, and we are so grateful for the love and support they have shown us along the way. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for us as Mr. & Mrs. Lizar. KCMO EUGENE, OR REDMOND, OR GRANTS PASS, OR OLYMPIA, WA