2025 Love List

Lili Hernandez & Ashley Hiebing, Madison, 9 years
Shammara McMullin & Ziggy Odogun-Williams, Madison, 3 years
DJ Nichols & Lee Stratton, Oshkosh, 9 years
Danny Atwater & Sid Richards, Madison, 6.5 years
Mandy & Mel Smith-Tourville & Sarah Barkdull, Menomonie, 20 Years & 1 Year

As I took the stage with my fellow Perfect Harmony Chorus singers to perform our spring concert, a very cute guy who I had yet to meet was in the audience. Apparently he happened to think I was pretty cute, too! He turned to his friend, pointed out “the cute redhead” on stage, and his friend said, “That’s my friend Danny. I’ll introduce you.” We met briefly after the show, and as he was leaving he turned back to catch me looking at him. He smiled that gorgeous smile, and I was hooked! So that night I did what any normal person would do—I went on Facebook, searched for “Sid,” and sent him a message. A few weeks later after some casual dates at the Bartell Theatre, The Cooper’s Tavern (a favorite to this day), and Barriques, we found ourselves on top of the Monona Terrace and declared that we were officially dating.

We had met each other as two established adults, each with our own hobbies, and our own homes. We even had our own pets—Sid with his rescued dog, and me with my two cats that Sid was allergic to! Early into our relationship, we agreed it was important to continue nurturing those individual aspects about us and resist the “urge to merge” as we would joke. This meant that the few times we would spend together each week were very intentional, and not filled with distractions or chores. Instead we would go on adventures!

Our love for each other grew, and our adventures took us to Devil’s Lake with friends, a trip to Florida to visit my parents, and to all varieties of music concerts, comedy shows, and stage productions. Less than two years into our relationship, COVID hit, and we had to figure out how to adapt our adventures. We began hiking the Ice Age Trail and touring the Driftless Area with the convertible top down to picnic at the Mississippi River. Sid even helped this non-swimmer learn to kayak and convinced me to get my first e-bike.

We strengthened our love for each other as the years ticked by, and built our lives together while still comfortably living separately. We talked about what it would be like to live together, and how important it would be to each have our own space within that home. We just didn’t see the need to rush things along!

Last June, on our sixth anniversary, we found OUR house and moved in together for the first time. Sid has his own space for him and his dog, I have my own space for me and my cats, and we intentionally make time to spend together. The first weeks living together, and the stress of unforeseen, major home remodeling projects tested us, but we have built our relationship on a solid foundation of love and respect and this has been our grandest adventure together to date!