It all started back in 2008 when Val was having lunch at Steak 'n Shake with a couple friends that happened to bring Aaron along. Soon after that, Val and Aaron began texting and hanging out. Their friendship grew and they realized they were meant to be more than friends. When an admittedly nervous Aaron asked Val out over the phone, Val replied "okay" which has since turned into a running joke. They went away to separate colleges (Aaron to UIC and Val to Millikin) which was understandably difficult. Aaron ended up transferring to Millikin for his degree in Information Systems while Val pursued her degree in Human Services. Aaron and Val decided to take a break during undergrad but could not stay apart for long and got back together their senior year. Val went away to earn her master's in Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh and Aaron moved to Bloomington, IL for work. Two years and one master's degree later, Val moved to Bloomington to be with Aaron and live in their beloved downtown loft. The pair were craving to be back in a city and jumped at the opportunity to relocate to Dallas in 2017. Val began working for a large hospital system and Aaron continued his career as an iOS software developer. They adopted a rescue dog, Copper, who is now part of their family and story, and the three of them moved into a house in East Dallas which they now call home!