Tristan and Maddie meet springtime 2018. Maddie was a freshman and Tristan was a junior. Despite how happy Tristan looks in their very first photo together, he kept showing up to Maddie's dorm to get his hair braided for soccer. Who knew Tristan liked his hair french braided so much!

Lots of soccer games, volleyball games and good ol fashion Luther fun.

Tristan's first-time visiting Maddie's home in Minnesota!

Maddie's first-time visiting Tristan home in Illnois. He really wanted to take Maddie to the Bean :)

Together for a year! Tristan graduates from Luther and joins the United States Military.

Reunited (for the first time!)! Tristan finishes basic training. We got to try out our penmanship and only were able to communicate via letters for 3 months!

Then we launch into a total of 4 years of long distance and only seeing each other for holiday breaks or weekend get aways while Maddie was still in school.

Making it work through the height of COVID, lots of facetiming and phone calls and one big roadtrip all the way to Colorado to see Tristan.

Tristan helping Maddie move back into Luther for her senior year.

One of the many hikes during one of the many weekend trips to Colorado. Amazing that Maddie had time to study for her nursing degree!

First time hiking the famous incline in Colorado Springs! Saying goodbye before Tristan leaves for deployment.

A year away from home, Tristan was deployed to Syria September 2021-May 2022. It was a very sweet homecoming.

Tristan is done with the military!! He moves to Rochester to be with Maddie who is now a nurse at the Mayo Clinic.

Dog parents! Added one more to our pack, celebrated this Christmas with our new puppy Rue.

6 years together, one year living together, 2 dogs later, we are engaged:)