As many of you know (or maybe you don't) Jake and I went to grade school together.

While neither of us remember the actual first time we met, Joe and I started going to school at Saint Joseph's in West Saint Paul in the 3rd grade; so my best guess is that we met sometime that year. That same year, Jake's family lived in Mendota Heights - just about 2 miles away on Havenview Court, which meant we were all on the same bus.

Thanks to being on the same bus, and in the same class, Jake quickly became friends with my twin brother, Joe. We even have some pretty sweet pictures of the two of them attending each-other's birthday parties!

Flash forward to the 6th grade, where Jake and Allie were in the same class (Mr. Malay's, to be exact). The both of us bonded over how strange and...squirly...Mr. Malay was. Jake sat directly across from me for that entire year, which is where I first experienced how goofy and fun-loving he is. I would be lying if I said I didn't have a crush on him then, but I never said anything to Jake about it at the time.

Flash forward to the 1st ever Red Bull Crashed Ice, which I was unable to attend the final round because I was busy working at the Crowne Plaza, but Jake was in attendance to support his former classmate who was one of the competitors (or maybe he just wanted to see him wipeout). Fortunately for me, the wonderful people at Red Bull were so ecstatic with how well the event went that they gave the hotel staff VIP tickets to the final after party at the Shanty, at O'Gara's. It was at this party that we were re-united for the first time since grade school. Jake came up to me and my brother (he also worked at the hotel) and said hello. Jake and I chatted again later on in the night, which was when he asked for my number and if I would have dinner with him sometime.

Our first date was about a week later, and for the next year we were together as often as we could be. The rest of the story of our relationship could take awhile to tell, but that first year of Jake + Allie solidified that he would forever be a part of me. I am beyond excited to become Mrs. Sandkamp, and to continue exploring and adventuring through life with Jake by my side.

Photos

The Proposal