When Maria moved to Salt Lake City, she knew there was a chance she would meet her future husband far from her home of Pennsylvania. However, she did not think it would require traveling to a third time zone. Cody, being a born and bred Tuscaloosa native, didn't think he'd end up with someone who had never had Taco Casa before! Through some devoted friends' efforts and a well-timed Utah trip, Maria and Cody ended up on the same balcony and were able to bond over stories of National Parks and nursing. Cody left to go back to Bama, but Maria had been charmed by his wit (and drawl) and texted Cody a meme as a way to break the ice. We'll just say it was hilarious and they continued to text, slowly getting to know each other. About a month later, with the chance to spend Memorial Day of 2024 on a lake and to travel somewhere new, Maria made her first trip to Alabama. It was during that trip that Maria and Cody decided to try out a long-distance relationship, both cautiously aware that this relationship may not last. Two days later, Maria bought her plane ticket back to Alabama :) Over the next eight-plus months, Maria and Cody managed long-distance dating as best as they could. They spent many hours on the phone, took turns traveling to see each other, met families and friends, and played a lot of Minecraft together. In February of 2025, Maria packed up as much as she could (including her cats) in her Subaru and moved to Alabama. Cody flew out to Salt Lake to drive with her, and they ended up making the 26-hour drive in 2 days purely with the power of caffeine and stubbornness. They got to enjoy living in the same town (and time zone) for the first time, and got to have so many adventures together! They went to Gulf Shores, Rockville, the Outer Banks, Pittsburgh and, of course, the University of Alabama Gorgas Library while Cody studied for his Master's Degree. On April 21, Cody got on one knee and asked Maria to marry him. She dropped all of her belongings as she rushed to hug him and say yes. They are so excited to start their lives together and can't wait to celebrate this with you all!