Jake and I both grew up in Northwest Indiana, and we met in the 6th grade. Our love story spans over the last 20 years. Jake will tell you I'm the first girl he ever fell in love with. Our friendship blossomed over the years, and despite his best efforts of making it out of the friend-zone, I wasn't quite ready yet.

Jake continued to be in my life from afar--him in Indiana and me in Arkansas. On a night in December 2023, one if his 3 (yes, three...) living room TVs had gone on the fritz and he went to Best Buy. Something prompted him to call me. I was at home with my dogs just relaxing when I saw his name pop up on my phone. At that point in my life, if anyone had asked me "Who was the one that got away?", it would be Jake. Of course at that time, I never would've actually admitted that to him. But thank goodness something told him to call me, because after that phone call I booked a flight to see him!

Now many of you know that I went through a smidge of a natural disaster tornado situation that left me temporarily displaced from my home. I had finally moved back in the house in January and was so excited/distracted that I forgot to drip my pipes when the temps dropped to below 10 degrees. I woke up to frozen pipes two days before I was supposed to leave to see Jake. The night before my flight, the pipes were still frozen, and I had to call him to tell him I couldn't visit until they unfroze because a busted pipe and flooded house while I was gone probably wouldn't be my insurance's favorite phone call from me. He was disappointed (and I'm pretty sure his best friend Ryan thought I was flaking). But, I was determined. The weather cooperated, the pipes unfroze without any damage, and I hopped in my car with the dogs and drove to Indiana.

I knew the moment I walked into the house and Shrek (1, 2, & 3) was playing on all three living room TVs that this man was my forever. On a cold January night in downtown Chicago, I told him I loved him. We decided then that this was the future we wanted. Us, our dogs, and a life full of laughter together.

People say you should marry your best friend. How lucky am I to be getting to spend my life with mine.