Twenty years ago, a small-town Oklahoma girl named Carrie Underwood showed up to American Idol auditions with a big voice and a dream. Now, she is returning to the show that kick-started her career, this time as a judge. Since winning season 4 of American Idol, the “Before He Cheats” singer has found not only fame and success, but also love. Here’s everything you need to know about her hockey star husband, Mike Fisher, and their two children.

Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher Connected Instantly

Born and raised in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, Mike Fisher was just 19 years old when the Ottawa Senators drafted him in 1999. Known for his aggressive brand of offense, Fisher, now 45, stayed with the team for 12 years.

In 2008, Fisher met Carrie Underwood backstage at one of her concerts at the suggestion of Underwood’s bass player, Mark Childers. The 16-time ACM Award winner has admitted to some early skepticism: “I mean, can I make dating more difficult? Let’s get a hockey guy who lives in another country. Awesome.”

To her surprise, she felt an instant connection. By the end of 2009, they were engaged. In July 2010, they married at the Ritz-Carlton Reynolds Plantation in Georgia. In February 2011, the Senators traded Fisher to the Nashville Predators, putting an end to their long-distance relationship.

“I was praying a few days before about [moving teams],” Fisher told People. “I was just so frustrated and said ‘God, if you have me go somewhere take care of it, look after it,’ and he sure did that. He put me in a place I was comfortable with.’”

The Couple Have Two Sons

Five years after tying the knot, Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher welcomed their first child, a son named Isaiah, on Feb. 27, 2015. His younger brother, Jacob Bryan Fisher, arrived nearly four years later, on Jan. 21, 2019.

According to Underwood, 41, both boys have a solid chance of following in their parents’ footsteps.

“They both can carry a tune. I feel like our oldest, Isaiah, probably has the biggest chance of heading in that direction,” the “Cry Pretty” superstar said during a March 5 appearance on Live with Kelly and Mark. “Jake likes hockey. So we may have a little of both because my husband’s a retired NHL player.”