Ella was always really pretty and smart. At least she always gave off the impression that she was...the only issue was she was always in some sort of boot or cast. So, I started to think that was permanent. Outside of that fact that something in her leg never seemed to be working on a regular basis, my other issue was that she refused to date me throughout... well just about all of college. Well the cookie crumbled, and there I was forever persisting. Since its been great...we visit the penguins at Lincoln Park Zoo on a monthly basis, FaceTime Miley on a nightly basis, and she makes me cook for her every night. Every once in a while I get her to watch a show other than Friends, the Office and Parks & Rec. Ella is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I am so looking forward to this day so I hope you all are too! *Ella has still not paid her 2019 debt for losing March Madness.

I only identified him as "the loud typer" to my friends and teammates. We were friendly on the shuttle, he always asked why I was injured, but beyond that we didn't have much interaction. He did try to ask me out once (to throw a frisbee no less), but the timing wasn't right... Fast forward to the end of our senior year. The feelings are clearly mutual, we finally exchange phone numbers and decide to make March Madness brackets, loser buys lunch. (We're sitting 2-2* over the last 4 seasons). So a lunch date to Grand Lux Cafe, a trip home to meet Miley (and my parents), and things were off to a great start. Clearly things have been going well ever sense. From trips to Disney, Boston, and Hilton Head, to all days of binge watching The Sopranos, we've grown to where we are today.

(the quick version) Thanks to the efforts of Audrey Michaelson and Mitchell Baum, Ella was tricked into thing she was going to walk a puppy on Loyola University Chicago's campus (because all you need is a puppy). Ryan walked out of Madonna Della Strada (in front of about +25 freshman girls who caught on to what was coming) to surprise Ella. Through her shock and tears she said yes, and thankfully, still got to play with a puppy.