FROM E & J

I’ve known Jack since I was eleven, so I’ve know him for most of my life. Jack could probably tell you the statistics on the odds of our relationship, but all I know is that I am incredibly lucky.

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We started dating in the eighth grade, which is crazy, by the way. It was all very middle school crush- could barely make eye contact in the hallway let alone have a full conversation, all your friends cheering when you hugged for the first time, and hoping you’d be in the same chaperone group on a field trip.

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It makes me laugh to think about those early days because of who Jack has become to me. Over the years Jack transcended the title of middle school boyfriend to high school sweetheart and then earned himself his favorite title yet, fiancé! Those changes in title were accompanied with major life changes for us both, and somewhere along the way we started to think about each other as life partners.

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Long distance has been a funny chapter in our relationship, and one that I could not be happier to write to a close! My friends in college and grad school got to know me as an individual before ever meeting Jack, which felt funny to me because so much of who I am is shaped by my relationship with Jack. He comes up in nearly every story I tell, and the jokes I make are reflection of all the laughs we’ve had together. It was only when Jack came to town and my friends got to know him too that I felt truly known.

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When I tell someone how long Jack and I have been together, they’ll often exclaim, “Eighth grade??? Are you f***ing serious??” Followed by a “what on earth did you see in him at age 14???” The answer is that Jack was the funniest person I had ever met, and that is still true today.

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While Jack has always been my favorite joke partner, he has also developed a rich sense of emotional intelligence that I rely on. The cliche would be to say that Jack is my rock. The reality is to say that I could not have gotten to where I am in life without the emotional support of that man. I really rely on his endless encouragement when tasks seem too daunting and my brain is telling me to quit. I’ve known him for 13 years, dated him for 9 years, been engaged for 2 years, and hopefully will be married to him for the next 100 years. It will never feel like enough time with him.

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Always & Forever,

Emmeline

Emmeline and I met in our sixth grade Social Studies class. We had some mutual friends early on but, didn't start becoming close until the end of seventh grade. Looking back on some of our favorite early memories is a little surreal: who expects to marry their middle school sweetheart?

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My favorite early picture of us is from the eighth grade band trip to Washington DC. We were walking side by side in front of the Lincoln Memorial. It was windy and cold, and I had only my Moultrie Middle School band hoodie. Luckily for Em, she brought a full blanket. This picture of us walking side by side has been on my desk for all of college and grad school. It's our first photo where we view ourselves as a couple, and it's a sweet reminder of where we started.

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The transition to college was definitely difficult. It's a big life transition for most people, but going from seeing each other most days of the week to once every month or two took some getting used to. I actually remember crying (in front of her parents) when I went up with Em's family to move her into USC (warranted imo). I'm not the most outgoing person, but sharing experiences and commiserating with Em helped immensely. We frequently noted that we were extremely lucky to have each other to lean on; going through those life changes alone seemed incredibly difficult.

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Grad school has been a welcome change. Living in exciting places a train ride apart has made visiting one another frequent and fun. We also got engaged. I remember being so nervous walking out to the dock with Em, with the ring stashed in a gift bag waiting for us down there. When I got down on one knee she kissed me immediately. It took a good 10 seconds for us to realize I hadn't actually asked the question yet. After the small celebration that followed we went out to the beach to take photos together. Em and I agree that that sunset was the best we've ever seen.

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Solidarity has been a recurring theme in our relationship. Starting college; two years of COVID lockdown and restrictions; seven years of long distance. Throughout every difficult life experience I've had, I've always recognized my luck and wondered how people shoulder these kinds of burdens alone. God-willing I'll never have to find out.

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I love you, Em.