Our story is full of serendipity. If it weren't for the pandemic, Gwen might never have made the escape from NYC to our hometown where fate, along with Hinge, brought us together the very same day Dane joined the app. But fate had other plans, and here we are—over four years, a 3,000-mile move, and several pets later—grateful for the way it all came together. Our first date in May of 2020 was a kayaking adventure, an attempt to follow the social distancing rules that were in place at the time. With traditional dates off the table, we made the most of those early days by spending time in Dane’s cozy studio apartment, ordering takeout, watching movies, and playing video games. It didn't take long for us to bring a little more excitement into our lives by adopting our rabbits, Bug and Chunk—who quickly claimed more space in our tiny apartment than we did. Shortly after, Gummi joined the family, and we were fully settled into our happy little life. It wasn’t too long, however, before Dane's landlord kindly reminded us that "the apartment’s plumbing could only handle one occupant." We took the not-so-subtle hint and began to search for a bigger space. In August of 2021, we made the move to Roosevelt Island in NYC, settling into a beautiful luxury building, thanks to the pandemic’s perk of dramatically discounted rent prices across the city. We spent our days enjoying bubble tea and pizza in the grassy courtyard by our apartment, savoring our little oasis amid the hustle of the city. Then, during a visit to Atlanta in October of that year, while Dane was showing Gwen around his old neighborhood, a walk through Piedmont Park led to a realization: we could live anywhere we wanted! While we loved our time on Roosevelt Island, we began to crave better access to nature and a slower pace than NYC could offer. And with that, our sights were set on Atlanta... until we reconsidered. The long, humid summers and the fit of southern living didn’t quite match our vision. We began exploring other east coast cities, but something kept drawing us back to the Pacific Northwest. In March of 2022, we visited Portland, Oregon to confirm what we already felt in our hearts: the PNW would be our new home. Five months later, after signing a lease on an apartment sight unseen, we packed up our lives (and the buns) and hopped on a plane to start our next chapter. It might sound a little cheesy, but the Pacific Northwest has become as much a part of our relationship as we are to each other. Living here has given us new passions and hobbies—from summer river swims to embracing the dreary winters with our newfound love for snow sports. Moving to the PNW felt like a fresh start, and in many ways, like falling in love with each other all over again. And with the additions of our beautiful salt water tank and our cat, Gizmo, we couldn’t imagine living our lives any other way. We couldn't be more excited for the next chapter in our story, and we are so grateful to have you as part of it!