The Journey starts in 2015, at the Big Mac, aka MacNeal Hospital. Adrian was jamming by night and by day, working in Supply Chain. Melissa was finishing college and working part-time within the same department as a transporter. Became friends quickly, often chatting about work or the desperate phone calls to cover a shift.

Years pass as Adrian winds down from his band, and Melissa works full-time. Eventually, the friendship expands beyond work. A love for music, animals, and video games allowed for long conversations and eventually led to a date! In March of 2018, the two officially became a couple.

From that point on, we have created a wonderful life together. Starting with the ownership of the true man of the house, Argos. Argos, our black and tan Shiba, brought us together closer than ever. A few sleepovers turned into, well, why don't you move in? After about a year, we moved in together with our pup. Our handsome boy is the "pet me with your eyes" but "hold me tight, I hear fireworks" companion. He keeps us company on our binge of TV shows, as well as on walking trails through the forest preserves.

Then another audible came into our life, a Facebook post showing a little red Shiba girl, and Melissa said "look at this little girl, she needs a home! People don't understand Shibas like we do!" And we go to meet her, and right then and there we had another addition to our little family. She came in and wrecked our lives for a little while, especially Argos who no longer had the whole place to himself when we are not home. Adrian had to shift to working the afternoon for a few weeks for Nina to acclimate to her new home, receive her queen of the castle coronation.

In September of 2023, we went on a trip to our ancestral homeland of Poland to meet Adrian's family and have Melissa experience the old country for the first time. It's there on the medieval square in Krakow, after a full day of castle tours and gluttonous meals (and Adrian carrying the ring box in his back pocket all day), that Adrian asked for Melissa's hand. And she said yes to applause all around!

Shortly after our return stateside, opportunity presented itself, and we purchased our home in Palos Hills. A new castle for the true royals Argos and Nina to have domain over, with us doting on their every need!

M&A

The Belvedere Chateau