We met through a mutual friend in August 2015, just weeks before heading off to LSU for our freshman year. Our friend wanted breakfast, and the three of us ended up at IHOP, which remains one of our favorite breakfast spots to this day. A few movies and sushi dates later, we became an official couple.

The next four years were filled with late nights of studying, hanging out with friends, and frequent visits to our favorite pizza place in Baton Rouge, Red Zeppelins. We supported each other through the challenges of college life, major changes, and new friendships.

After graduating from LSU in 2019, we moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, so Lainey could pursue her dream of becoming a clinical psychologist, while Michael attended the same school to follow his career in physical therapy. These four years in Florida brought both excitement and heartache. We celebrated our new life together in August 2019, but soon after, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, leading to difficult family events for both sides.

In April 2020, Michael lost his beloved Uncle Larry, and in July 2021, Lainey faced the sudden loss of her father, Thomas Henican, who was her rock and support. We miss him every day. To add to our heartbreak, we lost "Queen of Mardi Gras," Grandma Jane Wingerter, in October 2021. Despite these challenging times, we leaned on each other, proving that together we could endure anything.

In 2023, Michael graduated from his DPT program while Lainey began her final internship for her PsyD. We moved to the suburbs of Chicago, IL, for this new chapter in July 2023. In May 2024, after 8.5 years together, Michael proposed at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo. Just a month later, in June 2024, Lainey graduated from her PsyD program!

Now, we reside in the suburbs of Chicago, excited for the future and everything it has in store for us!

L&M