In the fall of 2007, Curtis was starting his first semester at Iowa State, and Joel was living in Ames with his family after graduating from Ames High. Little did we know, the first meeting of our life’s greatest adventure was just around the corner.

The fateful day arrived at a party in the fall of 2007—an apartment shindig with a mysterious Facebook event that led Joel and his crew to believe it was a “trashy” theme. So, naturally, they showed up in wife-beater tank tops, gold chains, baggy jeans, and Splenda under their noses. (Don't ask, it was a vibe.) But when they walked in, the room was filled with people wearing Abercrombie and Buckle—cue the collective record scratch. Everyone (including Curtis) turned and stared, wondering if they'd accidentally walked into an alternate reality. Looking back, it’s honestly hilarious.

When Joel first saw Curtis across the room, he turned to his best friend Gary and boldly declared, “I’m going to marry that guy someday.” Curtis remembers seeing Joel and his friends dancing to the Cupid Shuffle and thinking, "Wow, these people are amazing dancers." It wasn't until much later that it dawned on him—the song literally tells you how to dance step by step. Classic.

Later, Joel found Curtis on Facebook and sent him a friend request. From there, we started chatting, and Joel invited Curtis to join a weekly event with his friends called Hookah Tuesdays at the Chicha Shack in Ames. Curtis, still new to town and looking to meet some queer folks, decided to show up—by himself. Joel was so impressed with Curtis’s bravery, he jokingly said he never would’ve had the courage to go solo.

As winter rolled around, our chats continued, and Curtis’s Pontiac Grand Prix GTP broke down. Joel, in a moment of pure kindness, offered to pick him up and give him a local shop recommendation. Joel was in between cars at the time, so he showed up in… his mom’s car. Looking back, it’s one of those funny memories that makes us smile.

Curtis was so excited to tell his cousin Sarah about Joel when she asked if he was talking to any guys at college, and she couldn’t have been more thrilled. Meanwhile, we spent the holidays chatting, even ringing in New Year’s Eve together at a party in Des Moines. Joel’s cousin Savannah made a couple of huge batches of apple pie shots, and as Joel hustled up the apartment stairs carrying two thermoses—one in each hand—he tripped and spilled almost all the hot liquid down the concrete steps, lol. Thankfully, one thermos survived, and it made for a very enjoyable NYE.

On January 8, 2008, we officially started dating. Our first date was at Carlos O'Kelly's in Ames. Looking back, Joel couldn’t help but laugh—he was seriously concerned when he saw the mountain of shredded chicken and queso Curtis was piling onto his chips. Like, who does this guy think he is? A queso bandit?! 😂Later that year, we moved in together into a cozy two-bedroom apartment and started a new chapter. We had a blast hosting friends there for a couple of years before moving to a new place in the Fountain View area of Ames, IA. One of Joel’s birthdays, just the two of us went to where we had our first date… Carlos O'Kelly's, for dinner. Curtis surprised Joel with promise rings from Kay Jewelers, and Joel internally panicked, thinking it was some kind of disastrous marriage proposal (cue the awkwardness). So, after opening the gift bag, he just said, "Thanks," and went right back to eating his chips. Definitely a funny memory to look back on! 😂

In 2012, we both graduated—Curtis from ISU and Joel from DMACC—and celebrated with a small gathering at the park with Little Caesars pizza (a surprisingly consistent favorite). We lived with Joel’s mom and step dad for a few months while figuring out our next steps, and Curtis scored a job at Wells Fargo corporate. Joel got a promotion at the hotel, and we decided to move into a charming apartment in Ames, where we were able to get a huge rent discount by cleaning the hallways and laundry rooms of three buildings every week. The rent? $325/month. (Yes, you read that correctly.) It was a good time, and we stayed there for a few years, making memories and perfecting our cleaning technique.

In 2013, we decided our family needed a little more chaos—and fur—so we adopted two adorable kitties: Penny, a sassy Torti, and Nikki, a sweet but mischievous Grey Tabby. It was the start of our new life as proud cat parents (and occasional scratch victims).

In 2016, after years of looking for a new home, we bought our first house—just a short drive from downtown Des Moines but nestled near timber and a lake. It was the perfect mix of city and nature, and Curtis couldn’t wait to cut his commute from 45 minutes to a mere 23. We made it our own, and it quickly became a place full of love and laughter.

Along the way, we also started Queer Bar Takeover—DSM with our best friends Josh and Michael. This was an initiative to create more public, safe spaces for the LGBTQ+ community while giving the non-LGBTQ+ community a chance to engage. The events were a huge success and grew into something truly special, before wrapping up in 2022 with memories to last a lifetime.

And as if that wasn't enough, in 2018, we began transforming our basement into a second primary bedroom suite, doing much of the work ourselves with help from family and friends. The project spanned several years, and looking at the final result, we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built together.

Through all the ups, downs, and hilarious mishaps, we have found not only love but a deep sense of gratitude for each other and for the amazing people in our lives. Each of you—family, friends, loved ones—has played an irreplaceable part in the story we’re still writing. We’re so honored to have you with us on our special day, and we wouldn’t be who we are without you. Thank you for being part of our journey and our joy.