We beat the algorithm. The first and only guy Madeline ever dated off of a dating app. Nathan was on the verge of uninstalling them. We matched. We planned to meet for coffee. Then Nathan remembered he had an extra ticket to see a Josephine Baker revue at Chicago Cabaret Week, not fully grasping how much of a musical nerd Madeline was (and is). We were excited and nervous. Only a few minutes after arriving to the theater and barely a hello, we were waylaid by an 80-year-old photographer who had many stories to tell. It wasn't until after the concert that we were finally able to get to know each other. That date was followed up with pho and an unexpected 8 hour walk and talk. Nathan even got Madeline into running a few weeks into dating - he's still trying to catch her. Fast forward to now: we are both coffee snobs, share a love for our girl Josephine, go to art events, musicals, explore cities through long hikes, eat all Chicago has to offer, play crosswords, and still love walking (or running) and talking for hours on end.