While many first dates involve going out for dinner or another activity out of the house, ours looked a little different. Early 2021 still faced the challenges of the pandemic so instead of going out somewhere our first date included Chick-fil-a and painting in Doug's apartment bedroom. In theme with the world events, it wasn't long after our first date that we had to quarantine together and have been inseparable ever since! While our love story didn't start like many others we wouldn't change a thing. From that first date to filling the last few years at Iowa State University with football games, sorority formals, mo-ped rides, and all the big and small moments until graduations, we are forever grateful we both chose ISU because it brought us together. While we still bleed Cardinal and Gold our hearts beat for each other (super cheesy but had to do it).

Though we knew we would be together forever, it was almost three and a half years after our first date that Doug popped the question. As our family and friends know, Sydney is the planner and hates surprises so Doug knew it would take a village to pull this off. Sydney had been wanting to show Doug around Duluth, Minnesota as it is a place she visited many times throughout her childhood and still one of her favorite spots (Even more now since it's also - spoiler alert - where we got engaged!). While we were already with Sydney's family for the holidays we planned to spend a night in Duluth while Wally was being spoiled by his grandPAWrents. Our agenda included all of Sydney's favorite places in Duluth including Canal Park, Glensheen Mansion and Gooseberry Falls. With a secret detour to Split Rock Lighthouse, Doug had kept Sydney on her toes and executed the most perfect proposal she could have asked for. After calling all our family and friends to share the good news we celebrated our engagement with holiday lights and dinner at a Duluth landmark - Grandma's Restaurant. Our favorite time of year was made even better by ending 2024 as fiancés!

After graduation Doug ended up in Dubuque, IA for work and where he goes, Sydney would surely follow a semester later. While at first Dubuque didn't seem like it would be the most exciting of places to start our life together, we grew to love it and the little life we carved out here. Our family grew to three with Wally and we've been a packaged deal ever since! While we loved Dubuque, Doug had a new opportunity in Waukesha, Wisconsin (right outside of Milwaukee). We packed our things (with the help of our parents), and set off on our new adventure in October 2025! Besides the regular routine of life our favorite things to do together are attending the different farmers and nighttime markets, going to the driving range, playing trivia at the local breweries, hanging out with friends and family, and watching episodes of our favorite shows over dinner (Doug would say it's The Office or Modern Family but Sydney's gotten him invested in the drama of her favorite reality TV shows as well). We love our little family and life here, but no matter where we are as long as we're together we couldn't be happier.