We met in the 5th grade, at 10 years old, when we had the same teacher (Ms. Henrie) at Lewis and Clark Elementary school in St. Helens, Oregon.

We started “dating” in middle school. We were just about the most awkward couple, we were really more best friends than truly boyfriend and girlfriend at that point but it’s a time we laugh about now!

We went on our first date for our 2 year anniversary, lol. We went to the pumpkin patch. We were both 15 so neither of us could drive yet so Jess’ sister, Rachel, dropped us off and Joseph’s mom, Janine, picked us up. It was as awkward as it sounds but again something we laugh about now.

We were together for all of high school. We went to all the high school dances together, the picture above is our freshmen homecoming the picture below is senior prom. We took all the classes together we could, we even did swim team together our freshman year. We spent many days doing online school our sophomore year together during Covid, and many more days procrastinating doing online school. We were high school sweethearts and the best of friends!

We spent our summers going to summer camps and on family vacations together. Joseph went to all of Jess’ softball games that he could, he even spent a summer driving her to practice an hour and a half away twice a week before Jess could drive herself!

We graduated high school in 2023! Jess went on to go to culinary school and Joseph went on to go to line school!

We got engaged on November 10th, 2024. We went to the beach at Seaside, OR, for the day where we went for a beach walk when Joseph stopped Jess and started talking about how he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, marry her, have kids with her and grow old with her. Then he got down on one knee, opened the ring box (upside down) and asked Jess to marry him. Tears in her eyes, she said yes!