Colleen Mary & Alan James

Year One, 2015: We first met at a pub in downtown Limerick. It was during Colleen's first week of study abroad at the University of Limerick. We enjoyed the semester and saw each other again that summer while Alan was on his J1 in San Diego. 

Photo: Our first picture together. Taken at the top of the Galtee mountains in Tipperary after a long hike to see some beautiful fog...

Year Two, 2016: We spent our senior year of college flying back and forth to visit each other during breaks. Thanks to all the College Court and Alpha Phi roommates who put up with us always being around. 

Photo:  Taken during a fall break visit. We went to our first concert together in a courtyard at Limerick Castle to see Gavin James. One of Colleen's all time fav artists. It was epic! 

Year Three, 2017: Colleen moved to Ireland after college and we spent two years enjoying Galway and taking road trips around the island. Alan's favorite weekend destination was Dingle, Colleen's favorite spot was Westport.

Photo: Taken at the Galway Races, an annual event in our favorite city. Lots of horse racing, betting, sun, and Guinness. 

Year Four, 2018: Long distance again :( Alan in Galway, Colleen in Chicago. Colleen moved home in July 2018 after she broke her leg playing in a tag rugby summer game. Spent many months apart, figuring out where our next home base would be. 

Photo: Colleen visiting Alan in Galway. Spent the day at the Voya Seaweed baths in Strandhill, Co. Sligo. Love this seaside town, a must do if you are visiting NW part of Ireland. 

Year Five, 2019: Alan moved to Chicago, we moved into our first apartment together in Lincoln Park, and were so giddy to be living in the same city again. Shoutout to Molly McD for putting up with us as roomies in our tiny little Deming apartment.

Photo: A San Francisco stop along our road trip from Chicago to San Diego. We drove about 3,000 miles over the course of 10 days. Our favorite stop along the route was Big Sky, MO.

Year Six, 2020: Despite a global pandemic, 2020 was a special year for us! We got engaged, moved into our own apartment, and didn't hate the fact that staying in to watch a movie was an acceptable social scene. 

Photo: Sunset with some of our favorite people celebrating our engagement. Alan proposed along the lakefront in Chicago.  

Year Seven, 2021: We moved into our first home in Northfield! Got a fixer upper and have spent the past six months working on it. Tipp, our puppy, is the best and we are obsessed with her. Understatement.

Photo: Fall golden hour in our new backyard! We are officially suburbanites  and we're never going back.