In December of 2021, Sam needed a partner for his annual family gingerbread competition. Sam's mother texted Grayce and asked if she would want to work with Sam. Grayce excitedly accepted the invitation, not knowing this opportunity would be the early stages of a crush. The project was a success and the two really got to know each other!

From that moment forward, the two talked daily and realized how much they had in common. Sam and Grayce shared the same taste in music and sense of humor, watched the same shows, created projects, and enjoyed playing tennis and going on walks. They both enjoy making music; Sam plays the trumpet and guitar, while Grayce attempts piano and guitar. Their personalities blended perfectly.

If you want an idea of the connection these two share, in April 2022, Grayce and Sam were headed home with his parents after a family Easter in Watseka. They laughed at memes the entire car ride. After the group got home, Sam’s father told his mother “Well, there is something there that was not before.” It was a happily platonic relationship that soon blossomed into something more beautiful.

On a FaceTime call with her cousin, Grayce nervously texted Sam expressing her feelings for him, and anxiously waited for what felt like an eternity before receiving a delighted response from Sam, confirming his shared feelings. The two officially entered their relationship on April 24th, 2022.

It was no time before the two were completely committed and invested in each other's success and endeavors. While balancing school and substitute teaching, Grayce would often drive to Terre Haute to visit Sam, where they would stay up late watching YouTube memes or The X-Files, talking and sharing stories, laughing about anything, cooking (cheesy potatoes at midnight, for example) and baking, taking walks on the Heritage Trail, and simply enjoying the company of the other.

During their friendship, the two entered their final senior semester in college. Grayce was a member of Phi Alpha Eta and Delta Alpha Pi, two honorary societies at Eastern. She found enjoyment in her classes and also conducted a research study to determine the perceived likeability of someone based on their laughter-type.

Sam was an active member of Design Build Fly and the Astronomy Club, and worked at the Branam Innovation Center. Sam took Mechatronics, ME Lab, and Turbomachinery. He balanced his classes, work, and extracurriculars very well (although with a severe case of senioritis).

Fast forwarding through the school stress and commuting an hour to visit each other, Grayce graduated from Eastern in early May and Sam would graduate from Rose-Hulman a few weeks later. In April 2023, Sam accepted a quality engineer position at AeroGen-TEK in Paris, Illinois. Grayce began her second round of murals in early June. She painted two murals at Lincoln Elementary School and one at the Counseling Center in Robinson.

Through a family member, the two found a rental house in Marshall, Illinois. This location was convenient for Sam's commute to work, the community activities kept them out and about, and having family and friends close by ensured they would not grow too isolated. On Sam's graduation day, the two met with the landlords and toured the house. They knew it was perfect. The space was adequate and cozy, and the landlords were kind and immediately took Grayce and Sam under their wings. At the start of June 2023, the two moved into their home. They have made it theirs by hosting family suppers, having friends over for game nights, crowding the walls with photos and artwork, cooking meals and baking goods together, watching X-Files and Futurama, being the hot-spot for the neighborhood stray cats, and filling it with Grayce's plethora of plants.

On September 5th, 2023, Grayce and Sam were on their way to his parents' house in Robinson for their weekly supper arrangement. As the couple walked up to the house, Sam stopped Grayce on the porch, got down on one knee, and asked (along the lines of) "will you marry me?" Immediately, yes! The two embraced for a big hug and entered the house, only to find that Grayce's grandparents, mother, and brother were also in attendance. They all celebrated, hugged, ate amazing lasagna and a beautiful cake made by Sam's sister Jessie, and visited for the rest of the evening.

Since the engagement, Grayce and Sam have kept busy. Sam is still working at AeroGen as a quality engineer and Grayce started working at HRC as a Bachelor Level Mental Health Therapist while applying to graduate school.

Some of the highlights in their recent time together include: attending a Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks concert, as well as the Eagles in Chicago. They also toured the Art Institute, to which Grayce had never been. Grayce and Sam welcomed their newest niece, Lily, in February! Sam was appointed Godfather-status, too!

Grayce was accepted into Eastern Illinois University's Clinical Mental Health Counseling program in February 2024. She started classes in May of 2024 and wrapped up a very fast-paced round of summer courses in July. In August, her first official semester began and the 16 weeks flew by! She is now in her second semester and interning at The Hamilton Center in Terre Haute, where she gets to work with children and teenagers.

Grayce and Sam are thrilled to celebrate their special day with the people most important to them as they embrace their next chapter!