We met at the University of Michigan while pursuing our undergraduate aerospace engineering degrees, and started dating the summer after graduation. Since then, we have been together for almost five years. We moved in together in Ann Arbor while Annika was pursuing her Space Engineering Master's degree and Parker was working. Once Annika finished her degree, she started full time with Northrop Grumman in Northern Virginia. She began working on the Habitation and Logistics Outpost which will be the first space station to orbit the Moon. Parker then went back to the University of Michigan to pursue the same Master's degree, but COVID hit, his degree turned into an online one, and her job became remote. Since we were both remote, we decided to take advantage of our new geographical freedom and lived at Torch Lake with the Stoldts for a little over a year. After Parker got his degree, he also obtained a position with Northrop Grumman working on Cygnus, the cargo resupply spacecraft for the International Space Station. Parker moved to Virginia, stayed with family friends, and began house hunting while Annika stayed in Illinois with her horses.

We moved into our house in Virginia at the end of August of 2021 and it has been non-stop projects ever since. In 2021, we replaced the existing single pane house windows and in 2022, we installed a solar panel system on the roof of the barn. This makes our entire property energy neutral. In early 2022, we adopted our dogs Millie and a couple months later, Finn. We also upgraded the horse stalls and pastures to give our foster horses a cozy home.

In August of 2022, we took a trip to Germany and got engaged at the base of a locked fairytale tower at Burg [Castle] Friedberg.

Our BIG project for 2023 has been planting ~1500 trees and shrubs to help create a road noise buffer and beautify the property. For the remainder of this year, and for many years to come, we have a seemingly endless list of projects planned to turn our house and property into a perfect homestead.

Just as our work keeps us looking to the stars and dreaming big, we have grand and exciting dreams for our life together.

We will be getting married in Iceland in May of this year. It will be a celebration of love and adventure in one of the world's most beautiful places. We are excited to exchange our vows in such a breathtaking location. We have planned a day filled with adventure and unique experiences to create memories to last a lifetime.