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After weeks of spending time with each other, it was time for Tommy to meet the Goris Fam. Tess was nervous about the introduction, but Tommy was eager to meet them. After opening the front door he was then swarmed by the family and friends of the Goris’. After many firm handshakes Tommy thought he had passed the first test, until he saw out of the corner of his eye brother Adam shooting him in the back with a finger gun. (lol) No worries because now Tess’ brothers are some of the closest friends he has and Tess has to fight for his attention when they are around! But also no worries because Tess likes to run off with mama hoy and tommy's aunts and drink martinis without him (LOL). 

Tommy asked Tess to be his girlfriend on Tess’s 17th birthday, February 4, 2019. They were falling in love and loving every minute. The summer went by too fast and before they knew it Tommy was moving to Whitewater for college and the wrestling team. They knew that what they had was special and worth dating long distance. 

Tess helped move Tommy into his dorm with the Hoys. Saying our first long distance goodbye was hard. As we drove away we ALL cried. Yes, even big, strong Mr. Hoy! 

Fast forward to August 2020, it was time for Tess to now go off to Bloomington to attend college at Indiana University. A few tears were shed that day! Tess was so busy with classes and Alpha Phi sorority activities and Tommy was so busy with wrestling and school. It was a big adjustment, but even at their young age they knew their love was worth sacrificing and fighting for. As they both grew in maturity during their college years their love grew deeper and they dreamed of marriage and a family together. Distance

truly does make the heart grow fonder. During the next four years Tommy and Tess spent many hours on facetime, commuting to each other's schools, and spending as much time as they could together when home for the holidays. One of their favorite moments during these years was when Tommy visited Tess in Europe for a couple of weeks during her semester abroad in Florence, Italy. They had many fun adventures like paragliding in Switzerland, walking down the streets of Notting hill, and drinking lots of vino in Italy. 

Tess and Tommy both graduated college in May of 2024! They were both so happy and grateful and felt so blessed knowing that they had done it! Making it through 5 years of being apart and now they could finally start their lives together at the ripe ole ages of 22 and 23. 

Tommy proposed to Tess on August 31 on the dock of her Grampa and Gramma’s lake house in Eagle River, Wisconsin. She was surprised with an airplane flying a banner that said, “Tess, will you marry me? (heart) Tommy”. Both of our families were there cheering for us, the Hoy’s in disguise on a pontoon boat just out from the dock. It was a magical evening with our families.