On April 27, 2019, at the wedding of groomsman Tyler Frizzi, Erin Schroeder first mentioned her friend Michelle to Mitchell. Fast forward to July 20, 2019, at (Bridesmaid and Groomsman) Erin and Adam Schroeder's wedding, Mitchell took the initiative to introduce himself to Michelle. Their initial meeting sparked a connection, leading to engaging conversation throughout the reception and culminating in the exchange of numbers by the end of the night.

Despite the geographical challenge of Mitchell residing in Cleveland, OH, and Michelle in Floyds Knobs, IN, the two persevered in getting to know each other. A month of consistent texting and Snapchatting passed before they embarked on their first date to a Colts vs. Browns game in Indy. Subsequent travel dates to places like Kings Island, Indianapolis, and Columbus (happening nearly every other week) allowed for continuous relationship growth.

The turning point came on October 18, 2019, when Michelle visited Cleveland for the first time. The evening started at Johnny's Little Bar, their favorite dive bar in CLE, followed by a classic Mitchell Ahaus date to the casino. By June 2020, it was clear that both wanted to continue growing the relationship by taking the next step. Given Mitchell's work with NASA, the decision was made for Michelle to relocate to Cleveland.

In November 2020, Michelle found an apartment in downtown Cleveland, cutting their travel time from six hours to a mere 15 minutes! They quickly integrated into Cleveland life together becoming Little Bar regulars, attending local sports games, forging new friendships, embarking on road trips to family events, and plenty of weddings.

Fast forward to June 26, 2022 at Michelle's family reunion. Mitchell, with the assistance of Michelle's cousins, orchestrated a proposal in front of her entire family. Recognizing that being in the family photo required being part of the family, Mitchell took the plunge by dropping to one knee in front of everyone! In October 2022, they solidified their commitment by purchasing their first house in Cleveland, triumphing over any potential rivalry between Mitchell's allegiance to Purdue and Michelle's loyalty to IU.

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