We met during lieutenant training in Fort Lee, Virginia — Ashlea was in the Army Reserves and Aidan was serving Active Duty in the Army. You could definitely say it was love at first sight (the state slogan after all is "Virginia is for lovers!"). With only one month together at Ft. Lee, and going on fun trips like to Virginia Beach, our time came to an end when Ashlea was set to graduate training. She had already made plans to move from her hometown in Edwardsville, IL to Seattle, WA to start a new life outside of the midwest; and shockingly enough, on her last day in training, Aidan revealed that he had been stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington! Some call it fate but Ashlea knew it was definitely a gift from God. We moved to Washington State just months apart but right as the pandemic occurred, which was actually a blessing in disguise. Our relationship blossomed as we went on tons of outdoor adventures — golfing, camping, hiking, skiing, and swimming all across the beautiful Pacific Northwest (see our gallery for ALL the pictures!) After an incredible couple years in Washington and so many fun trips — highlights include going to the San Juan Islands with Aidan's mom, stepdad, and friend Tim then going on an Alaskan Cruise with Aidan's aunts Eva and Mary — we moved from Seattle to Chicago as Aidan transitioned out of the military into a career in medical sales. We took an awesome roadtrip across the country, stopping in several states in between to take in as much of this beautiful nation as we possibly could. In Chicago, we've lived in two downtown neighborhoods including River North and in breathtaking Lakeshore East overlooking the river and Lake Michigan. Thanks to Ashlea's job in media and marketing, we've been able to experience Chicago in all of its entirety, attending events, sports games, symphonies and operas, and tasting new restaurants. And with Ashlea's family only 4 hours away, we were able to spend a lot of much needed time with relatives. Only a few months after our wedding, we recently moved to Long Branch, NJ for Aidan's medical sales career and to now be closer to his side of the family! We're so excited to be living on the beach and spend the next few years getting closer to Aidan's family on the east coast. But we're no strangers to uprooting our lives and trying someplace new, so who knows where we'll end up next in the future (or if we decide to stick around)! Everyday with us has been the ultimate adventure of exploring, traveling, helping one another to grow in our faith, supporting each other's dreams, and getting to know one another's families. We're so grateful to all of our supportive family and friends who have been there with us through this journey. Love, Mr. & Mrs. Pazan