Our story began in the quiet hills of Pikeville, Kentucky, where medical school was demanding and the town had exactly one real bar—Bank 253. One night, a mutual friend introduced us there. We talked, flirted, and went our separate ways, not realizing that moment would be the start of everything. Soon after, I texted her that I was getting a puppy—Copper. She probably thought it was a line, but she showed up anyway. Copper worked his charm instantly, and from that day on, it was the three of us. Our med school years were filled with hikes through Kentucky’s trails, late-night studying that turned into laughter, and a friendship that quietly grew into something deeper. When residency applications came around, she convinced me to apply to programs in Chicago—her hometown. One visit was all it took for me to understand why she loved it. I matched in General Surgery at Loyola, and a year later, she matched in Pediatrics at the same hospital. Somehow, the stars aligned, and we found ourselves training side by side. Since then, we’ve shared overnight call rooms and countless adventures beyond the hospital—Hawaii, Patagonia (where I proposed on a glacier), Greece, Portugal, Yosemite, Glacier National Park, Lake Tahoe, and Napa Valley. She insists my homemade pizzas are the best she’s ever had. I remain skeptical, but I’ll take her word for it. Now we live in Chicago with Copper, the same puppy who started it all. Life looks a little different—scrubs traded for attending badges, mountain trails for skyline views—but the feeling is the same. She’s still the best part of my every day… and now, officially, my favorite attending and my sugar mama.