We met the old-fashioned way—online! At the time, Steph was living in Bryan, Ohio while Thom was in Fort Wayne, Indiana. For us both, talking on the phone the first time was a breath of fresh air. A few video calls and a first official date at Father John's microbrewery changed the course of our lives forever.

Fort Wayne, Indiana has been Thom's home base since 2019. However, once Steph began teaching middle school band at Norwell Middle School in 2023, we've both called this city home. We're smack in the middle of the most exciting chapter of our lives so far. Since 2023, we've gone on countless dates, sampled many restaurants, watched plenty of football games on the couch, and explored almost all of Fort Wayne's parks and trails. When we're not together, you can find Steph at one of her many school events, community band rehearsals, and trips to the farmers market. Or, if you look closely enough, Thom can be found playing trivia on Tuesday nights, writing in quiet bars and restaurants, and editing fiction late into the night.