JOEL &
DANYELLE

HOW DID YOU MEET?

DAD: We met at work in 2019 before football season. I had to go to her office to order apparel. I always enjoyed going to her office and just kick it. A few months later she “slid” in my DMs which was strange because she already had my number [typical millennial]. A couple of weeks later I invited her over to my house watch some playoff football games, and the next night I invited her to get pizza. A little over a week after that, she invited me over for dinner. It was a Friday night, and I had a hoop session where I sprained my ankle (my team still won in case you’re wondering). I sent her a pic of my ankle, and she thought I was building a reason to flake and cancel on her. I hobbled up to the third floor of her apartment building, and the rest is history.

MOM: Back when he was the Director of Football Operations, he used to have to come to my office to order gear. That year the team went on a crazy win streak, and he was growing out his beard. He came to my office after a fresh cut [a coincidence? I think not…], and I thought to myself, hmmm he’s cute. I waited and waited for him to post something on socials so I could check his temp, and I finally got the chance on December 31, 2019, when he posted a story. I slid in his DMs, and an hour later he moved the conversation to texting. A week or so later he came to my office needing a favor, and he mentioned his headphones broke. I offered him a brand-new pair that I wasn’t using, but I told him he would need to do something for me if I gave them to him. We agreed on pizza as payment. The next day he invited me to his house to watch football with his friends and volunteered to grill a vegan burger and make beans as persuasion. The following day he asked if he could cash in the pizza date he promised me, and we had our first official date at Uncle Maddio’s. I went on vacation a couple of days later, but we picked back up where we left off when I came back. He eventually asked me to be his girlfriend on February 29, 2020. 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT EACH OTHER?

MOM: I love his passion. Seeing how passionate he is about football and his players really helped transition my mindset in terms of doing work that I believe in. I also love that he indulges in my antics. I hate driving so I wait for him to come home from work and ask him to drive me to the store, and he does it without complaining. Sometimes I sit in the back sit so I can have a real chauffeur experience lmao.

DAD: Her sense of humor. She always keeps me laughing, even if it’s at my expense. She is for sure in the top 2 funniest in this relationship. Sometimes she thinks she’s the funniest and I like to smile and nod so she thinks she is too.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY TOGETHER?

DAD: Our train trip from Texas to Chicago. Once the train took off, we noticed there was no Wi-Fi. I made a comment that if we couldn’t go 18 hours together without Wi-Fi, we have other problems. It was an 18-hour trip, and we had a blast! We played a lot of games and made up some others, and we talked about anything and everything.

MOM: I know it was a terrible time for many, but Covid. We lead such busy lives with him being busy with football all Fall and travel picking up for my work after his season ends and on through the Spring. Looking back, it was nice to be in our own little bubble for several months uninterrupted. 

WHAT IS ONE THING THAT RUBBED OFF ON YOU FROM YOUR TIME TOGETHER?

MOM: I have not missed a flight since we started dating. That’s definitely a direct result of him always nagging me about being on time. 

DAD: Love of animals (actually only you, Fields). I’ve never been a real fan of animals, but now I am starting to become more comfortable around them. Also, an expanded food pallet. When I met your mom, she was a pescatarian (in no way related to Presbyterian if you’re wondering), and she introduced me to some foods I thought I hated. I never ate foods with peppers/onions before her.

WHEN DID YOU KNOW SHE WAS THE ONE?

DAD: When she went with me to a high school football game to recruit. It might not have been a big deal to her, but she said she just wanted to hang out with me. If you ask her today, she doesn’t remember, but I definitely remember. It showed me no matter what we’re doing, doing it together is what matters most. Also, when she tasted my chicken wings for the first time.

MOM: I can’t pinpoint a singular moment. It’s the small things he does unsolicited to show he’s thinking of me. Like when he brings home a milkshake for me when he knows I’ve had a long day; or he how makes sure the nightlight is on before I come to bed every night, so I won’t have night terrors. 

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOST IN THE FUTURE?

MOM: I’m excited to retire together, travel, and live in our own little bubble again. 

DAD: Seeing the life that we build together. No matter the obstacles, I know if we put our mind to something, we will be able to achieve it as one.