love} stories
Koya & Steffan July 18, 2015
“I knew that I was in love the moment he kissed me at the Fairbanks Airport.” Who are you?
Koya: My name is Koya Saviah Truax my maiden name is Olsen. I am a student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks studying Elementary Education. I was born and raised in Kalispell, Montana and graduated from Flathead High School in 2013. I moved to Fairbanks, Alaska two years ago.
Steffan: My name is Steffan Kyle Truax and I work
as a heavy equipment operator for the long haul division at Alaska West Express in Fairbanks, Alaska. My mom was a Blackhawk pilot in the army and that is what brought me to Alaska. I grew up in different spots around the country and even in South Korea for a few years. I graduated from Lathrop High School in Fairbanks in 2012. I plan on going to the police academy in Fairbanks within the next few years.
How did you meet?
We met through Steffan's brother Scott while I was still in Montana and Steffan was in Alaska. We began to talk on November 12, 2012 and began talking for hours over Facebook, texting, phone calls, and occasionally Skype. I found out about the amazing Elementary Education program and decided to move to Alaska for college. As soon as it was made official that I was going to move we began dating April 28, 2013. We officially met face to face in the Fairbanks Airport when I moved August 31, 2013. I'll never forget the butterflies I had when I walked with my friend Brooke Padgett (she is from Montana also and has lives in Alaska) down to the baggage claim. I'll never forget him walking up to me and grabbing me by the waist as he kissed me for the first time. We waited for that moment since we began talking.
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The Proposal?
Steffan proposed to me right before he was about to leave for a week to work in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. I was studying for a math test in the morning when he surprised me and asked me to marry him.
What is love? Koya: Love is when you put another's needs before
your own. It is always being supportive and sticking by each other's side even when times are tough. Love is making each other’s lives easier, and is never conditional. Love builds as time goes on. Waking up in the morning and feeling at like everything has fallen perfectly in place is when you know you’re in love.
Steffan:
Love is when you accept someone else for all that they are past and present. It is being excited to come home to that person, and they are there waiting for you. Love doing whatever it takes to make her happy. Such as driving two thousand miles from Alaska to Montana to help her finish moving her things, or even just to tell her that you are there and support her when she is frustrated with college homework. When you love someone, you’ll know it.
What do you love most about each other? Koya: What I love the most about Steffan is his sup-
port and his willingness to go out of his way to even help whoever may need it. I love that he is always standing by my side, even on my worst days. He is always there for me and supports me through all of my crazy ideas and most of the time he is right there along with me.
Steffan: Her eyes, because I think they the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I love that she accepts me at my best and my worst. I also love her cooking and that she always has a hot meal ready when I get home from a long day at work. I’ve loved everything about her since the moment I met her. When did you know you were in love? Koya: I knew that I was in love the moment kissed me at the Fairbanks Airport.
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Steffan: When I saw her coming down the escalator at the airport. Fun facts
For our honeymoon we went on a cruise to the Caribbean with stops in Cozumel, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; and Roatan Island, Honduras.
We were married at the Westmark Hotel in Fairbanks, Alaska. My mom, Angie Olsen with Angie's Greenhouse and Floral Design did our flowers. The photographer was Kelly Bouchard with Captured by Kelly Photography. Lindsay Foster did hair and makeup. Cakes by Susan Duhaime made cake. Best Man was Steffan's older brother Scott Truax, and the Maid of Honor was my older sister Candice Olsen. The other groomsmen were Christopher Coty, Michael Anagnostou, Wray Berry, and Cole Heuer. The bridesmaids were Amanda Jennum, Shaniya Carey, Alison Olsen, and Shelby Olsen. Our flower girls were Steffan's cousins Meghan and Katherine Mahoney.