Let me take you back to a time long ago, think back to the summer of 2019. When the kids were doing dance moves called “dabbing” and “flossing” and waiting for the new Star Wars film to come out. PJ was entering his 8th year working at Camp Marshall. He had grown up going to, and working at Camp Marshall. He thought that summer would be no different than the rest. He would teach field games, lead campfire songs, and try to fall in love (That last one hadn’t worked out too well in the past). That same Summer Melanie traveled from Colorado to Montana to work at Camp Marshall as the Arts and Crafts director. She was going into the summer not knowing anyone, but was attempting to keep an open mind and make friends. These two wild eyed kids sat down across from each other at breakfast the first morning of staff training. You could say it was love at first sight, but it was more like timid fascination by the time breakfast was over. For the rest of the summer they grabbed any open seat next to each other, worked together in the Arts and Crafts cabin, and many trips to Missoula were hinted at, but never offered. As the summer was drawing to a close they finally began their relationship after they shared a kiss while watching The Goonies. After that all bets were off, they were in love now. They spent the next week together and decided a long distance relationship sounded like a really great idea. Luckily for them, it worked out! PJ being the nice fellow he is, decided to move to Colorado. Melanie was no ‘Summer Girl’ to him, she was THE girl.

Much like Beauty and the Beast, It’s a tale as old as time, the kids moved in together, the lady became a stepmother to the fella’s cats. Later on, they took a trip out to the Bahamas and on December 21, 2022, PJ proposed to Melanie on Orange Hill Beach in Nassau, Bahamas. After three years of living in Colorado together they decided it was time to move onto the next stage of their lives. They packed up their bags and moved to Missoula, MT this past summer.

Now they’re going to make the whole thing official on June 15th 2024!