Madison and Jared’s story started at a Sheehan family pool day in 2019. Madison’s Aunt Mo, now wedding officiant, coerced Maddy to talk to this cute boy hanging out in the water. Her exact words were “if you don’t go talk to him, I will.” So, apprehensively, she did just that. It was love at first sight… but yet they didn’t talk to each other for the next two years. It was clear that Madison and Jared continued to think about each other. Maddy knew about Jared as he was her cousin's very close friend. Maddy’s older brother Brent, had also gotten to know this young man. He spoke very highly of him after a guy’s work weekend at the lake. This worked in Jared’s favor as it only led Maddy to being more attracted to him.

It just so happens that Jared and Maddy both attended Illinois State University and at the off chance they would run into each other at school, their spark always seemed to grow. It was the start of the school year in 2021, Jared was a Junior and Madison was heading into her Sophomore year. Each fall, ISU hosts an annual “Corn Fest,” a time to bring the community together. Jared was volunteering at the event with his hockey team and Maddy decided to enjoy the beautiful day with friends. It was here that the two of them reconnected after the memorable afternoon at the pool. Jared asked Maddy for her phone number in case she “needed help with any school assignments.” To his disappointment, Maddy never took him up on the offer.

Maddy was researching camp counseling positions for the summer of 2022 and knew that Jared had enjoyed a camp job the prior summer. His phone number was finally coming in handy. Madison reached out to Jared to find a time to meet in order for all of her questions to be answered. Maddy’s nerves were high and yet she was left with a fist pump from the boy she was crushing over. To say she was left confused would be an understatement.

However, it seemed that the whole summer Jared was checking in on Maddy and making sure that she felt a sliver of home through his encouraging words. They spent the summer getting to know one another through text messages. This is where things really started to change between the two of them.

Maddy got home from camp and had about two weeks until she was heading back to campus for her Senior year. It became Jared’s mission to see Madison as many times as he could, however, Maddy wasn’t fully on board with this plan.

It was at the Sheehan Family Picnic that Maddy’s mom told Jared to move her into college. Yep, you guessed it. Maddy had no clue she had done this. I guess we can all thank her for that one… But in all seriousness Nancy knew someone had to make the first move, so she decided it was going to be herself.

Thanks to the (forced) full day of being alone things had finally changed in their relationship. It was in the parking lot of Buffalo Wild Wings that they shared their first kiss. Jared and Maddy spent the next couple of months one hundred miles away from one another. This became exactly what they needed as they spent each phone call and visit intentionally getting to know one another on a new level.

Little did they know they would be spending the rest of their life together. The last two years have been spent making new memories, reminiscing on old, and dreaming of the ones to come. Madison and Jared are eager to face life’s adventures ahead and know they will always have each other’s love to fall back on.

Here's to the Future Shadle’s!