Love is patient

You know that scene in Love Actually where Colin comes to Wisconsin? It was like that. Joking! Though they did watch Love Actually early in their courtship and that scene was awkward. In reality, they met on a dating app famous for its foolproof couples matching algorithm*. It's called Tinder and they both remain very amused about this beginning to their story. This may seem an inauspicious beginning but after a coffee date in Literati, they found themselves wanting to get to know each other more and a series of dates with increasing frequency began. From Korean fried chicken (Peter discovered the true meaning of spicy, Julia enjoyed teasing him about the exploits of the British Empire), to rock climbing (Julia's dogged determination becoming increasingly pronounced), to simply making meals together, they found a friendship and a romance starting to bloom. *This is a joke. Tinder is probably the most casual big online dating app out there and is felt by some to be more of a game than a serious dating medium.

Not long after, the frequency of dates fell suddenly and dramatically or, to be completely accurate, totally. Peter returned to Germany. Julia downloaded Facebook Messenger for the first time, and they found themselves talking every day, not wanting a growing flame to go out. A silly bet over the cost of an iPhone (in combination with a strong desire to see each other again, and the bet having been placed with the conclusion somewhat planned) led them to a trip to London. Five days of uninterrupted time together proved to make them, not break them. They decided they would really make a go of the long-distance relationship. Further trips to San Francisco and Europe and introductions to family and friends further cemented their love. There was, however, a hurdle. Peter flew to Ann Arbor in June 2017 to do some research at the University of Michigan. Unfortunately, some visa troubles found him sitting on a plane back to Germany. In the wake of this confusion, one thing became clear to them both: they still wanted to be together, maybe for forever.

At the end of July 2017, in Marburg, Germany, they started to openly talk about what each had been privately thinking–this relationship might be good enough to last a lifetime. Not long after, on August 7, over FaceTime, they made the happy decision to take the leap of faith. They were engaged! Julia petitioned the US government to allow Peter to apply for a visa allowing them to marry. The visa process operates at approximately a snail's pace on a leisurely day and medical school breaks are far and few between so they had to wait until November, during Julia's Thanksgiving break, to see each other again. This time, they met in Toronto, where they picked out a ring, and Peter, ever the romantic, got down on one knee to make it official. Finally, dodging snowy weather and Julia's residency interview schedule, Peter arrived in the US on November 28, 2018. A couple weeks later, on December 15, they wed where they first met, at Literati Bookstore in Ann Arbor—starting their next big adventure together as husband and wife! (In case you missed it... https://www.instagram.com/p/BsA4kfGhJzt/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet)

Now that we're here, we wanted to take a moment to share our gratitude for your support as we've navigated our relationship. Thanks for the advice, the sympathetic ears, the rides to the airport and hospitality during visits. Finally, thanks most of all for the love, friendship, and patience you've shown to us that has helped us grow into who we are today–without you, we might not have fallen in love! We can't wait to see you in Pittsburgh to celebrate!