While our official beginning as a couple goes back to late 2019/early 2020, our "How We Met" goes back to spring of 2013. We both attended the University of New Haven in West Haven, Connecticut where as freshmen we both joined Greek life in the Spring 2013 semester. Now... pinpointing the moment and time we actually met... we couldn't say. We would tend to cross paths often but don't actually know the "exact moment". While only a friendship came through college years, it is at least where we can say we met. Fast forward to November 2019 when Mel had just moved to Houston, Texas and was home for Thanksgiving and went to a mutual couple-friends' home for Friendsgiving when we ended up sitting next to each other for the whole evening. From then on the talking and texting just never stopped. Soon a pandemic hit and what better idea than "Let's start dating long-distance when the world is shut down and we cannot travel!"? Derek moved to Houston in October 2020 and that was that. Now in October 2024 we get married! Yay!