Right before New Year’s Eve in 2015, Matt attended an EDM festival in downtown Dallas while Austin visited family in Keller, TX. Without knowing each other at the time, they matched on Tinder before returning to their respective schools for their Master’s programs (Austin at Texas State and Matt at OU). They chatted off and on and eventually planned that Easter weekend in late March was the perfect time to meet in person. Matt made the six-hour drive from Norman, OK, to San Marcos, TX on Good Friday and, after a weekend filled with perfect dates, they began their long-distance relationship. Those six-hour drives became much easier as they took turns visiting each other once a month. Later, during Austin’s two-month work trip to East Asia, he knew their relationship was special because he’d never longed for someone as he did for Matt - missing him constantly and wishing they could experience everything together. When they connected in Texas after his trip, Austin nervously confessed his love to Matt, unsure if he’d reciprocate. He did, and Austin cried happy tears for the first time in his life. They continued visiting each other monthly and hoped their paths would land them in the same city after they both graduated in May 2017. However, they agreed to remain long-distance while Austin began his doctorate program in Oklahoma and Matt worked in Arkansas. Finally, two years later, they moved in together when Matt got a job at the same university where Austin was completing his program. After Austin earned his doctorate and they settled down in Northwest Arkansas, he proposed on Matt's birthday at Walt Disney World. This year marks nine years together and the start of their marriage.