OUR STORY

The first time our paths crossed was at UMass Amherst, where we worked at a delicious Mediterranean restaurant that transformed late night into a bumping club called “The Monkey Bar.”  David had just transferred from UMass Dartmouth on the coast to the REAL UMass in the woods, to run around the “zoo” with all of the other animals. (For those of you confused…UMass has been called the zoo). He was entering a new chapter in his 7-year undergraduate, carefully calculated career and changing majors for the last time…again.  Missy was living the dream studying dance and psychology.  When she wasn’t memorizing neuropsychology flash cards on the bus right before the exam or nose deep in a movement based text under a tree, she was filling every bit of time with dance – rehearsing, performing, or late night dance parties with friends and bestie JayJay Driscoll (her brother).

 

Missy was bartending, while David was bar backing and they instantly became friends.  Timing never seemed to be right, as both were in committed relationships.  However, there was an obvious and evident connection between us. 

 

After graduation Melissa was pursuing her dream, dancing professionally for the Boston Celtics while working at John Hancock Financial.  Meanwhile, David was furthering his education in San Francisco, studying to become a Chiropractor. With 3,100.3 miles in between them, Missy and David connected via Facebook and made plans to meet during the upcoming holiday in Boston.  Thanks Mark Zuckerberg!

 

Following the holiday, we met in Boston at an amazing restaurant on the corner of Mass Ave and Newbury St called “Match” – known locally for their delicious mini burgers and tapas.  Let’s just say we ordered way too many tasty looking treats, but literally after 4 hours of conversation and not noticing anything around us, we didn’t eat a single bite! Looking back, we both knew that night, we were falling in love and finally timing, and our lives were aligning just the way they were intended to.

 

After a few weeks (literally..) of rescheduling flights and hotel hopping all over Boston to spend more time with each other, David flew back to San Francisco.   The idea of a long-term relationship until we could figure out the next steps lasted for approximately 2 weeks before David’s impulsivity kicked in and he decided to move back to Boston.

 

While in Massachusetts we commuted back and forth between Boston where we worked and living at home with our parents.  To be honest, for two adults living at home with their parents, it was kind of a blast…minus the endless city parking tickets and traffic….However, we were focused on saving and planning for our next major adventure.  We knew Chicago was on our radar; it was just a matter of time.  The city of Chicago is first of all amazing and second of all both schools we needed to achieve our career goals were in close proximity. 

 

After David received his acceptance letter to the Chiropractic school in Chicago, we packed up and moved to the Windy City.  Missy decided while she waited for the next open enrollment for her Dance/Movement Therapy & Counseling Program, she wanted to audition to become one of the Chicago Bulls Dancers.  

 

It was literally 1 day after we arrived in Chicago before Roger (David’s father) and David were walking down Madison Street in the loop financial district when they noticed Melissa’s picture on the front page of the local Chicago paper – “The Red Eye!” Obviously over-excited and not thinking clearly, they purchased several copies from what ended up to be a homeless man, only later to find out, the Red Eye is FREE – HA!  Needlessness to say, it was already becoming our new home.

 

Two insanely passionate Aries and intense individuals in graduate school simultaneously was inevitably chaotic.  However, living with literally nothing and financially struggling beyond our wildest dreams, it became imperative we kept each other positive and motivated to push forward.  Our favorite way to pass time was something we called “scenarios.”  Where one of us would get up and create a character, act out endless crazy scenes and….”scenarios,” until the observer couldn’t belly laugh any longer. Who needs cable anyway!

 

These were tough times, but some of the most romantic.  The little things meant the world to us.  We’ll never forget the time we were sleeping on a blow up mattress, while living in this older vintage apartment in downtown River North.  Top-notch location, bottom of the barrel facility.  The wooden floorboards were uneven and the nails would pop up randomly.  It was only a matter of time before the inevitable happened – you guessed it, a hole in the blow up mattress.   David didn’t want Melissa to have to sleep on it, so he pushed the mattress up next to the couch so they could cuddle. 

 

Several times in the middle of the night they would wake up and David’s feet would be sky high in the air while his head was hanging down low on the floor.  Sounds frustrating and it was, but it was way more hilarious.  It was these times that although difficult, solidified our deep connection more and more.  We wouldn’t trade these times for anything, as they are some of our best memories. 

 

Eventually we both graduated from school and began our careers.  We both ended up finding jobs right out of school, and started working hard to get to where we wanted to be.  Soon after, David proposed to Melissa on the Chicago River, underneath the Wrigley Building (her favorite building and location in Chicago).  While holding the ring nervously upside down and kneeling on one knee, David asked Melissa to marry him, and she said yes! Despite the fact that the ring was hidden from view. Oops! 

 

Now our lives continue to present us with beautiful surprises. We have adopted our first baby girl! She is very hairy, loves to eat Chicken feet, and she is almost Pody trained - but sometimes we still find little poos on the floor.  Our beautiful, little Italian princess’s name is Karmella St Jean and she is our amazing puppy.

 

 Missy is running two units at a psychiatric hospital on the north side of Chicago and working with her movement clients at her and David’s clinic. She has even got her own parking space at the hospital! Oh wait, but we don’t have a car…  David is seeing patients at the clinic and loving every second of his freedom, which is essentially not having to respond to authority…classic David.

 

There will never be a time where we can’t get enough of one another.  Which is why we continue to live in a miniature, undersized apartment, work together and probably spend way too much time together.  But hey, we love it, and we are crazy happy, and September can’t come soon enough.

 

The day we get married means the world to us. It is a day we get to celebrate our love and do so with all of you – the people we love most.  We can’t wait to see you there, and love you all very much.    

 

Melissa and David