We're getting married!

Saturday August 24, 2019 "801" day, the Saturday before the fall semester starts, known in Ames Iowa as the biggest party day every year for Iowa State students. Mutual friends of ours, who we had known since freshman year, invited us to their apartment to celebrate the start of our senior year. Sam was just coming back from an amazing 8-month experience in the Kansas City area for an internship and Alena was just coming back from an amazing summer studying abroad in Spain. Even with so many mutual friends, this was somehow the first time we both caught the attention of one another. We often wonder how many times we were in the same room throughout our college years, but the universe decided it just wasn't the right time for us connect. After our initial meeting on that Saturday, we both knew there was something special between us. A couple weeks later, during Sam's 22nd birthday celebration with the group, we were able to talk until bar close and spend more time getting to know each other. As the saying goes, "when you know, you know." After a LONG 6 months of basically being inseparable and even him meeting my family, Sam finally made me his official girlfriend on March 8, 2020. ;) Since then, Sam and I have visited 15 different states together, been to countless Iowa State games to see our Cyclones, stayed busy raising two crazy cats, and moved to Des Moines together while I go through PA school. We cannot wait for our next adventure to start on October 25, 2025 :)