Freshly returned from her semester in Italy, Martha began her senior year at Mizzou by enrolling in a Catholic Studies course through the Newman Center. Little did she know, a newcomer named Hayden had started attending Newman events while she was abroad. He also enrolled in the class, unaware he would meet his future wife that fall. They shared glances, notes, and a group of good friends who could easily tell they liked each other. Their first "date" consisted of Hayden tagging along with Martha's immediate and extended family for Mizzou's Homecoming game. Miraculously, he was not deterred by meeting this many relatives so soon. It actually made him like her more! Hayden and Martha officially started dating on October 31st of 2024. They will be married on that same date in 2026.