Gallery

We'll start from the middle of the story: Joe proposed to Lauren on our frigidly cold, five-year anniversary date, 1/25/2025, on a walk in a park near our first home in Michigan.

Before we started dating, Lauren joined Joe's family for a Cubs game late in the 2019 Cubs season. We started hanging out a lot more after this day.

And way before that, we were babies. Baby Joe was either prepared for solidarity or becoming salt bae.

Baby Lauren had some 'tude.

We met as part of a larger circle of friends from our hometown, Plainfield, IL. This is the oldest picture of us that we could find.

We have celebrated a lot of big milestones together! This picture was taken with cake after a date for Lauren's 30th birthday.

For Joe's 30th birthday, Lauren took Joe to his last National Park in the lower 48: California's Channel Islands, where they took this picture atop Santa Cruz island.

Taken at Point Pelee National Park of Canada, where we stood at the most southern point of Canada’s mainland.

Taken on a date for one of Joe's birthdays.

Taken on a hike in southern Illinois on one of our first camping trips.

Taken during the first Christmas we celebrated together with Joe's family.

Taken during the first Christmas we celebrated together with Lauren's family.

From our first baseball game in Detroit, while the Cubs were in town. (Baez didn't play!)

Taken on one of our trips to northern Michigan.

Taken at the Sleeping Bear Dunes.

Taken in Glacier National Park on one of our road trips.

Joe pulled over for this cardboard bear when Lauren and Joe visited Waterton Lakes National Park of Canada.

From the very fun tourist town of Hell, MI.

Taken at Ireland's Cliffs of Moher.

Taken from the Guinness Storehouse museum in Dublin.

Taken at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens.

Taken together at a wedding (with a cameo from groomsman Dr. Brian Murillo Greene behind Joe).

Taken at a wedding on Kefalonia in the Ionian Islands of Greece.

Taken at a wedding on Kefalonia in the Ionian Islands of Greece, after Joe embraced the island life.

Taken at a ranch wedding in New Mexico.

Taken by Joe of Lauren at Tahquamenon Falls in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Taken on our cross-country Parks road trip.

Taken by Joe of Lauren on a boat off the Grecian coast.

Taken by Joe of Lauren in a Pecos Puebloan kiva.

Joe attempting to befriend Lauren's fur baby, Clark.

Taken on the day we moved in together.

Taken when we visited Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Taken by Lauren of Joe on Ireland's western coast.

Taken after an escape room date shortly after moving to Michigan. We Escaped!!

Taken by Joe of Lauren in the Hoh Rainforest of Washington State.

Taken on the date day after we got engaged.

Taken on a tea date in Michigan.

Taken on the day of Joe's PhD defense.

A road trip tradition is to grab a picture with the Sinclair dinosaur - this one was taken along the road in Montana on one of our many trips.

Taken by Joe of Lauren in Glacier National Park.

Taken on our "-1 Anniversary" date, one year before our wedding.

Bonus baby picture, look at adorable baby Lauren!

Let this statement stand: Baby Joe was a dapper gent.

From our engagement photos - we haven't had the chance to use this one yet, so we added it to the gallery!!