Jonathan grew up in Burlington, Illinois, and Bailey was raised in Sycamore, Illinois — both sharing a deep-rooted love for agriculture. Though their paths may have unknowingly crossed over the years, especially with Bailey’s grandparents, Marsha and Glen, living in nearby Hampshire for much of her life, and both being active members of their high schools’ FFA chapters, their story didn’t truly begin until 2021.

After noticing they shared several mutual friends on social media, Jonathan sent Bailey a friend request, thinking, “We must know each other somehow.” While that initial connection didn’t immediately blossom into anything more, a simple conversation — mostly about their beloved dogs — eventually sparked a friendship. That friendship soon led to their first outing at The Pub in Maple Park. One Saturday night together quickly turned into every Saturday night, and as the two grew closer, so did their dogs, Luna and Annie.

Now, four years, two houses, and three dogs later, they couldn’t be more excited to continue building a life together and to share in the joy of positively shaping each other’s journey.