Caitlin and Megan would meet when Caitlin transferred to the University of Wisconsin in her Sophomore year. Caitlin bravely agreed to move in with 11 girls, most of whom she did not know, as she transitioned to her new college. Megan and Caitlin quickly became amazing friends as they spent many evenings laughing together and doing Caitlin's infamous "doot doot doot" dance down State Street. Megan and Caitlin have remained close even after Caitlin moved to Chicago, became a talented graphic designer for Gatorade and meeting her Ry Guy! No matter what the occasion, happy or sad, Caitlin has always been by Megan's side and thus she will be by Megan's side for her Here On Out adventure.
Favorite Memory: On a random week-day night, Megan and Caitlin shared a fishbowl ALONE and discussed all of each others hopes and dreams for the future!
Sammy and Megan met on the first night of college while standing in line for the bathroom. They exchanged numbers and then days later deleted each others numbers as neither of them could figure out who "that Sammy" or "that Megan" was from the first night out. It wouldn't be until several weeks later that their friendship would actually begin after they met to play a game of tennis with mutual friends. They spent many years in Madison both during college and then in the early years afterward while Sammy was teaching at West Middleton Elementary and Megan was in medical school and residency. Later, Sammy and her husband Adam would move to Salt Lake City and their adventures would continue in Utah with many national park and ski shenanigans.
Favorite Memory: An epic Jimmy Fallon inspired Lip Sync Battle in which both Sammy and her husband dominated but he ultimately took home the trophy after he preformed the Little Mermaid in a way we never knew he could.
Jessie and Megan have been amazing friends since high school. They shared a passion for all things ER and Third Watch and became EMTs together their Senior Year of high school. Between studying how to backboards patients, they spent hours on the couch watching Sex and the City. Despite Jessie heading to UW-Eau Claire and Megan to UW-Madison, they stayed close over the years and eventually their paths crossed again as they both began to work in the UW Emergency Department. Jessie has since moved on an is now a public health nurse working in the Infectious Disease Clinic at the UW but they continue to have new adventures in Madison some of which are reminiscent of their high school days.
Favorite Memory: Its hard to choose just one when you've known someone for so long, but the collective evenings driving in Megan's Red Ford Explorer, known lovingly as Red Bull, to Gilles in Fond du Lac to get a cheeseburger and dusty road while listening to some angsty teenage bands like Dashboard Confessional and Yellowcard. So many life discussions about where we wanted to go and do when we grew up. Thankfully we've realized many of those dreams and stayed close to share them with each other.
Jess and Megan would meet at the University of Wisconsin after Jess made the wise decision to transition from Marquette to the UW. They would live together in the infamous house of 11 girls and shared many laughs over the years. Since college, Megan and Jess have remained close despite Jess moving all over the U.S. After Jess settled in Milwaukee, they enjoyed many adventures from Buck's games to Badger games to Summeriest concerts......there has never been a dull moment without laughs and boomerangs including the day Jess tied the knot to Matt this past February.
Favorite Memory: A classy evening of Opera in the Park filled with flashing rings, glow necklaces and light up batons. The evening ended with a contest to see who could hold a bottle of wine straight out for the longest. It is still up for debate who won!
Megan and Elizabeth met each other freshman year at the University of Wisconsin. She was one of the roommates that Megan would frequently study with but also made sure that we cheered on the Badger's with every football and basketball game. After graduating from undergrad, Megan and Elizabeth would live together again when Elizabeth began Pharmacy School at the UW while Megan was in Medical School. During this time, Elizabeth said "I do" to Matt and moved east, eventually settling in Oconomowoc. Since then, they have spent may hours in their "painlessly" newly renovated home with their beautiful daughter, Grace.
Favorite Memory: While sophomores at the UW, Elizabeth had an obsession with Shakira and specifically "My Hips Don't Lie". During evenings fueled by adult beverages, she would be known to dance around the living room with her computer in hand listening to Shakira as her own personal DJ. Yes, she DID love this year's Super Bowl Halftime Show!
Ross would meet Brian Keiner at Iowa State University while pledging the fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Although they both joined at the same time, their friendship didn't blossom until Brian moved into a room on the second floor of the fraternity spring semester freshman year. That sounds weird but its a fraternity what do you expect. During our years of college, many beverages were had (bottles of champagne Brian) and many memories made with too many to even list. While in college Brian introduced Ross to out-west skiing which had two results 1.) Killed the whole experience of midwest skiing and 2.) Started a tradition of ski trips out-west every season even multiple trips if possible. Over the years these ski trips have taken us all over and even to Canada... Ehhh. Through it all, we've been able to visit each other in person multiple times a year but meet on Xbox live weekly (ok more like daily) for a relaxing session of COD or (insert latest/greatest video game.
Favorite Memory: Once Ross and Brian collectively (there and back) spent a week on an Amtrak train to Reno Nevada to then go skiing in Lake Tahoe. We were 19.....no alcohol was consumed on this train....... . . .
Ross and Adam met in the summer of 2007 while Ross was recruitment chair of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. Ross sold the normal pitch to Adam about "Fratting" and he was hesitant at first. Adam drug him along all summer making Ross take him for free lunches and inviting him to multiple events before he finally said Yes. After signing contracts and exchange of money we had official bought our friendship. Through our college years there were many shenanigans that occurred but some of the best were during the summer months while living in Ames, which would consist of tubing down the skunk river and random drunken adventures all over the good city of Ames. After college, Adam and Ross went down different life paths but like all great love stories we were able to come back to be roommates in Madison WI. There we grew as young professionals with an occasional knock on the wall from our favorite neighbor or a nice candlelit game of citadels. This story has a twist just like all good love stories due to the intermixing of friend groups, Adam met a lovely lady named Luray who then became his wife. This led to a more much needed mature professional relationship of meeting up at the local pub or each other's residence and as well as the weekly meet up on Xbox live.
Favorite Memory: One time Ross accidentally broke a pool stick in a bar in good ol Ames Iowa. The bartender wasn't happy about said situation and was going to make Ross pay for that stick, however, he coward in the corner and Adam politely stood up for me. The bartender wasn't interested in money but did pour a short glass of 100 proof whiskey and said this will do as payment. Adam looked at Ross and said see you tomorrow and proudly drank the whiskey. Thanks Adam!! Owe ya one smooches!!!
Ross and Kevin met at the University Wisconsin Hospital on the Cardiothoracic surgical transplant unit. Ross was a greenhorn to the unit and Kevin a seasoned veteran which first intimidated Ross but that didn't last long after some good old patient care bonding. After a few code browns and working with the many delirious patients in the ICU, their friendship blossomed. Kevin and Ross share the same unique sense of humor and the interest in having adult beverages which has led to many adventures around the Madison area. Whether riding bikes to establishments around town in the summer to doing some retail shopping on our healthcare weekends (middle of the week), lots of laughs have been shared. Kevin is a culinary wizard which has played out well for Ross in the fact of increasing his culinary knowledge and cooking abilities. It also has resulted in going to some of the swankiest and best culinary delights in Madison at the drop of a hat. There most frequent stop is Ha Long Bay which consists of indulgent orders of appetizers, lao beer, Crabbies, and delicious green candies.
Favorite Memories: One of Kevin and Ross' first adventures in their friendship was a weekday adventure that started at Kevin's apartment pool where harassment from a rude maintenance worker about a policy regarding glass drink ware. Ross realized at that moment that one should never try to rain on Kevin's parade because he will let you know. The day then progressed to a top-off Jeep ride to Blue Mounds State Park and ended with young professionals drinking adult spirits out of the finest drink ware Ross has ever drank out of.
Sharyn and Ron Gussick are the loving parents of Megan. Megan's passion for medicine likely stemmed from watching her father in his beloved pharmacy, The Village Apothecary and her unknowing gift of education obviously stemmed from Sharyn's years of teaching. After finally retiring and moving to Madison, a desire they both had to return to their alma mater's city, they settled in McFarland living on the lake and enjoying the many gifted sunsets. Unfortunately, Ron passed away unexpectedly in April of 2019 and won't be able to walk Megan down the aisle on October 16th but he will be there in spirit via the sunset that day as her eldest brother Sean stands in his place.
