We met in the middle. Each packed up a car, mid-pandemic, to move to North Dakota from opposite coasts, pursuing opportunity and a new pace.

With the help of an app, a virtual rose, and a bad pick-up line about a mirror, we connected. Quickly we found conversation and coincidences that brought on a feeling of familiarity in a place that was new to us both.

An 80-mile drive, a beet harvest, and the looming start of a new shooting season: these were the obstacles standing between Hayley and a first date. Yet, Daniel's patience proved a match for Hayley's hectic schedule.

**Finally, she found the time, and he chose the place. At Fargo's Boiler Room, the waiter made three trips to take their drink order, overwhelmed by the intensity of their conversation. **

Hayley knew this was special when Daniel braved the icy I-29, driving all the way from Fargo to Grand Forks, meeting after her long days on the "Girl Meets Farm" set. He arrived bearing flowers and a steaming pot of pumpkin curry, a gesture that spoke volumes.

The following year brought snowstorms, demanding projects, and apartment moves. Their Midwest saga unfolded amidst it all, culminating in a sweet summer in Fargo. They biked along the Red River, with pit stops at Dairy Queen, the Hjemkomst Center or NDSU show gardens.

A new chapter beckoned when Daniel accepted a position at Hybridge Dental Lab in Rochester, NY, bringing Hayley back to her Central New York roots.

But first... an engagement!