Our story does not begin at Chapter 1: it begins with a Prologue. February 26, 1998. Jon celebrated his first birthday on this date and, by some cosmic coincidence, Caeley was born. The two wouldn’t meet for another 18 years, but life had already found something they could share.

Caeley does not remember much of Chapter 1, but Jon remembers it well. It was Freshman year at Lake Forest College, and Jon and his new friend Kent Beckman were lords of the foosball table in Blackstone Hall— until Caeley played them. She would spin the players with such ferocity and diligence that she simply could not be beaten. The crown was passed to her and, to this day, she remains undefeated by the duo of Jon and Kent.

In Chapter 2, Caeley and Jon grew into friends. They would often hang out with Kent and play Halo or watch hockey to pass the time. Once Kent and Jon became roommates, Caeley came around more often, to the point where Jon felt comfortable enough with her to ask her to a fraternity formal. This gesture was a friendly one, but Caeley began to develop feelings for Jon during this formal, especially after Jon asked her to dance.

Chapter 3 was the beginning of their relationship, with a few difficult tests. After a summer of “will they, won’t they,” Caeley and Jon fully realized their mutual feelings towards each other. Their first date involved a quaint Italian restaurant outside of Lake Forest called “Del Rio.” But after they finished the school year, the summer and Jon’s study abroad program in the fall set them apart. Caeley still went wherever Jon was and visited. Jon showed her the beauty of the West through Yellowstone, the Tetons, and the Beartooths, instilling in Caeley a love of hiking and camping. Caeley also visited Jon in London, crisscrossing the Thames to sit at historic pubs and view ancient tombs. This distance was difficult, but they looked forward to reuniting back in the Forest for Chapter 4 and finishing out their senior years.

But then COVID came. It forced the two apart yet again. They both graduated virtually and far apart, scared of what the future might hold. But together they came to a radical decision: they would move together into a small, 375-square-foot studio apartment in Wrigleyville. Being together in such a small place was a test in itself, especially once they had to substitute the bed for a dinner table. However, they worked well together and barely ever drove each other crazy.

They decided to push their relationship even further in Chapter 5 by moving to Colorado. Caeley started at the University of Denver for their Graduate School of Social Work, and Jon started his first teaching job at Euclid Middle School. Slowly, they began to assimilate into the Colorado culture, visiting the Stanley Hotel, going on high-alpine hikes, and skiing or, in Caeley’s case, refusing to ski. But the most important aspect of being a Coloradoan was owning a dog, and Caeley and Jon decided to adopt Walter, a bundle of adventurous energy and a sweet, loving companion. Out of all their decisions together, getting Walter was the best (although this was only admitted after his puppy phase).

Chapter 6 was the journey of a lifetime. Caeley and Jon decided to go on a three-week-long trek across Europe with a loaded itinerary ending with a few extra days in Greece. On the island of Santorini, Caeley and Jon rented a boat for the day, prepared to relax after their extended adventure by swimming in the Aegean Sea and listening to Abba. After a perfect day, Jon piloted the boat out into the ocean and dropped anchor to watch the sunset with Caeley. They ate Nutella and peanut butter sandwiches, drank champagne, and, as the sun began to sink into the ocean, Jon knelt to one knee, delivered the speech he had practiced in his head for the past month, and asked Caeley to marry him. She said Yes.