Our story spans eight years (and counting) and across 4 states, with countless friends made and adventures endeavored upon along the way. Our full manuscript is one million pages but we've hired an intern (unpaid of course) to condense our story to the highlights below. We would be glad to provide to any who ask a sneak preview of the full manuscript, which we are certain will earn its rank among the classic love stories, such as "Beauty and the Beast" and "Gnomeo and Juliet."

Our story begins where all good stories begin; a place teeming with life and culture. Arguably the most romantic city in the whole world. That’s right, you guessed it! The one and only Des Moines, Iowa, where our two protagonists would meet for the very first time. As they both set their sights on the future, how fitting of them to both select what is very commonly (no really, I assure you) referred to as “the Harvard of the Midwest” (an actual sentence that was said to me once). These two young adults came from opposite corners of the Earth, the adjacent state of Illinois and... another city in Iowa. And upon meeting one another in the pristine, well-lit, and quiet environment of the frat house belonging to Theta Chi, it was love at first sight. The two became inseparable, logging numerous study dates, plentiful lower Olmsted coffees, and even a game or two of “Shoe Out the Window”. And with whom better to explore all that college has to offer than your best friend? Drake University will always remain a cherished place of memories and home to where we fell in love. It is only fitting that the next chapter of our story, and wedding, take place where it all began. However, all good things must come to an end, and as graduation loomed before them, and the inevitable reality of facing the real world with it, the next leap needed to be taken.

With the tantalizing prospect of taking on more debt just too enticing to resist, our story leads us further south where even more school awaits in Atlanta, Georiga. What perfect good fortune it was that in this wonderful new place, both Maddie and Mitch managed to make sure they spent almost every waking hour hunched over a laptop studying. Mitch learned *some* invaluable skills in his Chiropractic program in preparation for healing the masses and Maddie learned… less valuable skills in law school (namely, FRAUD, and LOTS of it - which we assure you has most definitely not been used… yet). However, no journey is without its challenges, and in 2020, boy oh boy did we get one. That’s right, Maddie was infected with lice by none other than her very own sister (who declined to comment on her yearly bathing habits). Oh, the calamity that was suffered. But worry not, it wasn’t all gloom and doom. Maddie and Mitch became closer still as their lives continued to change. And how much more intimate with a person can you be than with a roommate? Feel free to ask Kyle Doyle to comment on that, who had the pleasure of being the third roommate. As they became united under one roof, they also became united as one family, adopting their very own cat, Bishu. The very same cat that since has made it his mission to jeopardize every security deposit with surgical precision. And in the blink of an eye, another graduation, and off to yet another city!

Oooooo boy, with not one, but TWO doctorates in hand, the city of Chi-town was simply not READY for the likes of these two troublemakers on its streets. Or perhaps it was ready, as the city watched the duo respectfully make sure not to litter and walk only at designated crosswalks. The city of Chicago would be home to a great number of firsts for our dynamic duo. It would be the first (and probably last) high-rise apartment they lived within, the first work-induced panic attack (we’ll never say for WHO though ;) ), and the first time we truly grasped just how much poop could be smeared across a sidewalk. It was here in Chicago that Maddie was officially barred as a lawyer, working at a biglaw firm in downtown Chicago, and where Mitch first donned the title “Dr. Materna," setting upon a mission to structurally rehabilitate every spine in the WORLD (starting with the Gold Coast neighborhood, naturally). And what would the story of Maddie and Mitch be without mention of the official engagement of the beloved couple on December 16th, 2022 at the Chicago Botanical Gardens? We won’t bore you with the details, but I speak for us both when I say it was truly one of the most special moments of our lives. While Chicago will always have a special place in our hearts and the wettest pizza imaginable, it wouldn’t be like us to stay in a city for any longer than required to find our favorite take-out spots.

So with that, Maddie and Mitch plan to move once more to Palo Alto so Maddie can go BACK to school… For EXTRA long this time! As anticipated, the move was 36 hours of rip-roaring fun with a half-sedated cat, who definitely did NOT spend the first hour every day yowling like Tom and Jerry. The two now live in Palo Alto near Stanford, where Maddie spends her days reading an unholy amount of literature on international relations and comparative politics. Mitch is also gainfully employed snapping necks and taking names. Bishu remains unemployed but we've been told that he's searching... we doubt it.