Invisible string theory is the idea that you and your soulmate are 'connected through an invisible string or a thread' and it's 'written in the universe' that you’ll be together one day (Marisa T. Cohen). Not everyone believes in fate, or soulmates, but sometimes you just can't deny that someone was meant to be in your life. August 9th, 2019 (against my parents and sister's attempts to keep me home, SORRY GUYS!). I (Mya) drove the almost three hours to Ames to hang out with a guy that I knew from high school and had randomly started messaging a few days prior. We actually hung around the same friend group in high school from time to time and I thought he was funny. We didn't "just" meet in high school though! We actually were in the same preschool class together. This was a fact we didn't figure out until a few months into dating when we were looking through pictures together. Our paths just never lined up correctly until they finally did for the right reason and the perfect timing.

As most people know, Griffen lived in Ames, Iowa with some of his best friends for a few years while we were dating. Griffen and I both made the almost three-hour drive ALMOST every weekend to see each other before I could finally convince him to move back to Muscatine, Iowa. Throughout the years where I visited Griffen in Ames, Iowa, we made some of the best memories, and long-lasting friendships.

In 2020, we adopted our boy, Douglas Cheeseburger Steines. He is now four years old and still the best split-second decision we (Mya) ever made. Doug is the best little guy.

The years of COVID were interesting for Griffen and I. COVID prevented us from seeing each other a few weekends in the later part of COVID when life started to go back to "normal". The beginning of COVID was what was the most interesting. We were both essentially unemployed gamers for weeks on end. I am sure most of you working adults at the time love to hear that, but it was some of the most enjoyable time of our lives. I was finishing up my bachelor's degree in Human Services when the bowling alley I was working at shut down due to COVID and Griffen was a cook at a pub in Ames, which also had to shut down. Don't worry - we didn't get unemployment for too long ;) After getting burnt out on playing Animal Crossing on our Nintendo Switch's and living off of Chik-Fil-A when visiting Ames, I decided to start my career and Griff was able to go back to his job at the Pub. I started my career at the Muscatine Center for Social Action on May 20th, 2020. If you know you know, but this is a dream job of mine, yet I still sobbed like a baby when I was offered the position. Without Griffen and my families' support, I probably would have let myself ruin the opportunity. Eventually, when Griffen decided to move back to Muscatine, he began working at HNI. Griffen was loving what he was doing and decided to apply for a Maintenance Apprenticeship through HNI. Griffen started his apprenticeship in April of 2022 and is expected to graduate April of 2024 to a Journeyman Maintenance Technician. It is amazing to see how excited Griffen gets when talking about "maintenance" work.

As many know, I lost my best girl, Lizzie (cat) of 18+ years in 2023. I didn't think another cat was in the cards for me for a long time, let alone a senior cat as Lizzie's last few years weren't always easy. However, when you let Griffen loose in the Muscatine Humane Society you end up with the biggest cat you have ever seen with a sad story. Tigger, a 25 lb., 10-year-old tabby cat came to the shelter with his brother, whom he lived with his whole life. Tigger's brother was adopted a few months before Tigger and it just made sense to bring him home, so he could have a new brother.... Doug..... I won't say it's always rainbows and sunshine with a grumpy, overweight, elderly cat and a semi-rambunctious bull-dog, but we make it work (see gallery for photos of brotherly love!)

On July 2nd, 2023, Griffen and I were hanging out with our other friends, Leticia and Josue who were newly engaged and visiting Muscatine. Throughout the whole day we were all joking about who might be the next friend in the group to get engaged. I 100% know that this proposal was not planned on Griffen's part. However, while Griffen, Josue and Leticia were getting a game set up for us to play together, I went to shower. When I came into our bedroom, I see Griffen on one knee with Doug sitting right next to him. This proposal was not one that I expected, but if you heard me talk about all the ways I DIDN'T want to be proposed to (#anxiety), this way was perfect. In reality though, anyway, would have been perfect as long as I got to marry Griff.

Buying a house was not really on Griff and I's 2023 BINGO card, but here we are. My family was renovating my sister's first house and getting it ready to be sold as a flip. I hadn't seen the house since my sister had lived in it, over a year previously. In my head, Griff and I couldn't live in a house that a family so close to us had already made so many memories in, could we? It took me visiting one time, spamming Griffen's phone with pictures and texts, to come to the thought, what if Griff and I bought this house? So, I guess we did? I mean the place has a yard for Doug, who was a lifelong apartment dog. You wouldn't believe how fast I had to cancel our YMCA membership (yikes) to afford a mortgage when we were BARELY having to pay rent (thanks Mom and Grandma). Let's just say, homeownership has been a battle of it's own but I wouldn't want to do it with anyone other than Griffen. Cleaning water out of a basement with a Swiffer mop and the four new towels we bought the week before wasn't our best moment, but it's a moment none the less and a moment I think that Griffen and I could both look back on and think, we survived! All it took was Griffen to hang up the numerous things I requested that he hang up, a small argument over a rug Griffen bought, and a few light fixture changes here and there but this house is a home, our (first) HOME!

As if a new house, a wedding to plan, Doug and Tigger (Kevin) weren't enough... my mom just had to convince us to go to the Muscatine Humane Society with her "just to look". Right..... like I, a cat lover, and Griffen, an animal lover, are going to go to the animal shelter and NOT GET SOMETHING! So, that's how we ended up with Viktor. He's actually the craziest cat I have ever met.

Our story brings us to here. Through the years we have been on countless bowling trips and numerous vacations together, such as Minneapolis, Minnesota for a friends getaway, Amelia Island, Florida, Chicago, Illinois, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Daytona, Florida where we went to Disney and Sea World on the hottest day of the summer. Now, at the present day, Griffen continues to work as a Maintenance Apprentice and I just hit my four-year work-anniversary, have graduated with my Master's in Human Services and started on my Master's of Social Work. Our days are spent working, doing homework (Mya), video games, reading, and whatever sport is in season for me (Mya). Our fur children consist of Doug (4), Tigger aka Kevin (11?), and Viktor (baby). Now let's get married!