In their junior year of college, Marissa and Tom met when they both joined a neuroscience lab. They spent the summer working well together, but not being particularly close. In Fall of senior year, they present their work at a conference in Chicago (pictured, with their advisor Nancy). After this, they finally get passed their Midwestern politeness and become real friends.

Marissa and Tom take a break from the lab and go on their first real date at Prairie Canary, a culinary staple in the college town of Grinnell, IA.

Marissa and Tom graduate from Grinnell College (pictured, with their friend and fellow neuro-nerd, Jamie)!! By now, they have started dating and decide to stay together post-college.

What better way to kick-start your relationship than with a year of long-distance? Tom starts a year of graduate school in London, while Marissa begins a research internship in Washington DC. They see each other for the first time in a while when Marissa comes to visit London.

It's been over a year of long-distance dating, but its almost over! Tom is almost done with school and will be moving to back to the US soon. Marissa comes to visit Tom one more time, and they have a fun vacation in Menorca.

Tom moves back to Washington DC, moving two blocks away from Marissa. Both are working at the NIH as research interns. While Marissa loves the rhesus monkeys she works with, her favorite subject is Mister Davis, her new cat.

After a great two years in DC, Marissa and Tom pack up to move. They are headed for St Louis, where Marissa will begin a PhD program and Tom will join a lab as a research technician.

Tom and Marissa take the time between work/school to take a trip to Asia; the biggest trip they have ever done! They spend three weeks with smelly backpacks in Thailand, Vietnam, and Japan. One of many highlights was meeting some elephants after a jungle trek in Chiang Mai.

Marissa and Tom share a new apartment in St Louis. It's a big adjustment, but they like their new STL life. Marissa makes some great friends through school who are nice enough to let Tom hang out with them. Mister Davis is filled with Christmas cheer.

Marissa and Tom dodge COVID, but Marissa gets a bad case of doggie-fever. They go to a shelter "just to look" at a dog, but end up taking her home. They name her Kacey, after Kacey Musgraves.

Tom starts his own PhD program in St Louis. Mister Davis finally gets comfortable enough to be in the same room as Kacey. They live with Tom and Marissa in a new (dog-friendly) apartment.

Marissa and Tom are hard at work at school. They spend their holidays seeing their families in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Here's Marissa with some other guy!

Doggie-fever strikes again, and Zeke joins the family! He is a little hellraiser and a handful at times. But him and Kacey become great siblings.

It's Marissa's birthday! When she gets home, she is greeted with a message from Zeke...

Tom plans a surprise and proposes!

What better way to celebrate an engagement than with an incredible trip to Hawaii with the Earnests!