We first met on March 23rd, 2021, during our sophomore year at Grand Canyon University. Our school year came to end just one month later and our airport goodbye was sealed with a promise to stay in touch over the summer.

The migration back to the desert could not come soon enough for either of us. Although we each shared an anticipation of an awkward reconnection, our first moments back together were like we hadn't skipped a beat. We were instantly closer than ever and made it official that first month of our junior year with a date at Two Hippies Beach House and a heart pendant necklace.

We spent our first Thanksgiving together with Emma's family in beautiful Lebanon Oregon. The holiday included a whole lot of family introductions, a trip to the coast for clam chowder, and skeet shooting (Jake was a natural). The Spring semester was filled with basketball games, pool days, and weekend outings to Sedona and Flagstaff with friends. We spent our Spring Break in Prescott with Emma's parents and continued to grow closer and closer. The summer once again meant goodbye, but this one was much more difficult for the both of us.

That summer was a busy one, with each of us working over 60 hours a week. The free time we did have we spent on the phone or over FaceTime counting down the days until we would be together again. Luckily our waiting time was cut short when Emma was surprised with a plane ticket and a much overdue trip to Jake's hometown of Madison, Wisconsin. That trip was filled with walks around the Capitol, lake days, and Jake's 21st birthday celebration.

Our senior year was a whole lot more of a whole lot more. We both had jam packed schedules, but between classes, jobs, and sports, we still found time for date nights and weekend trips. Our roommates would likely say that we were annoyingly inseparable. The year flew bye and before we knew it was time to really "buckle down" and think about our future as we prepared to go out into the real world. For Emma, that meant exciting travel plans including an overseas trip to Israel before heading back to Oregon to work one last summer on the farm. For Jake, this meant a rigorous routine of job applications, interviews and apartment tours.

As graduation drew closer and closer, so did the opportunity for Jake to discuss his intentions with Mr. Roth in a conversation that would ultimately result in Jake receiving his blessing to ask for Emma's hand in marriage (he totally was not stressed at all).

With the blessing secured and an exciting new job lined up, everything was falling into place. Another summer apart was less than ideal, but at this point we were professionals. The first few months crawled bye but relief came along in July with a highly anticipated Morgan Wallen concert at the Arizona Diamondbacks stadium. For certain people, this may have seemed to be the perfect proposal opportunity, but who would really want to spend their first month of engagement apart? With Emma moving back town to Phoenix in August, Jake was on a mission to find the perfect ring, the perfect date, and the perfect place for the proposal. And just like a diamond, perfection was formed under pressure.

On September 23, 2023, just a day before our two year anniversary, Jake popped the question. We took a "spur of the moment" trip to Flagstaff that weekend and a seemingly harmless stop for a walk in Sedona caught Emma by surprise as we came across an open field under the red rocks. Of course, Jake walked too far and Emma noticed a camera in the bushes to the left before he could get down on one knee. Nevertheless, it was a picture perfect proposal as our close friends popped out to celebrate with us.

The following day, the date was decided to be August 24th, 2024. That means we will have known each other for 1249 days. While that may seem like a little to some, and a lot to others, for us it is truly just a number. A number of days where our love has consecutively and consistently grown, and a number of days that we have confidently known that we are meant to be together. We are truly blessed to have found each other at such a young age and are blessed to be able to share our past and our future with all of you!