Welcome

We met in our high school chemistry class sophomore year. We had seen each other around school for the past few years, but had never crossed paths much until this class. In being the only kids from our friend group in the class, we paired up as lab partners for the semester. Once the semester was over and summer began, we started spending more time together as friends - whether it was grabbing some Chick-Fil-A or just hanging around with our larger group of friends. As we spent more one-on-one time together, we found that our connection was more than just a friendship and began to date on July 12, 2011.

We both decided to attend Penn State University after high school, where we quickly formed a tight group of friends from the Lehigh Valley. Freshman and sophomore years were filled with lunch dates in the HUB, sneaking into apartment parties around campus, and being first in line for omelets or paninis at the dining halls. Junior year, we decided to move in together and get a new two-bedroom apartment away from campus where we could spread out and have our "space" if we needed it, as we tested out our living-together dynamic. Our first year living together went great and we quickly found routines that worked for us. So much so - in fact - that we decided we could live in a smaller apartment closer to campus and the downtown area for our senior year. Those of you who visited us during college would all agree, without a doubt, that to describe our new living space as a "downgrade" is being generous. Our apartment was downright gross, cramped, and overall a little smelly. BUT I think we both would say that we couldn't have lived there with anyone else. Upon graduating that year, we promised we would never condemn ourselves to a living space like that again. At least we knew that we could tolerate each other in almost any square-footage situation we would find ourselves in in the future!

In the months after graduating college, we moved back in with our parents and instantly knew that we functioned better in a home together rather than apart. We began looking for houses in the fall around the Lehigh Valley. After toying with the idea of moving farther away, we both knew we wanted to stay local to be with family and friends that mean the world to us. We went into the experience with many different ideas and opinions - each one working itself out as we searched our options. We had planned a day to look at a few homes with our realtor and decided to stop in at an open house near the park before we left. You know when they say that when you try on your perfect wedding dress, you just know? Well this house was just "it". I walked through it and could instantly imagine our life together here. It had the perfect amount of living space for entertaining, two large closets, and a finished basement that checked all of Dylan's boxes for his "man space". Dylan and the realtor literally had to drag me out of it to get to our next showing. But we all knew as we walked to the car that this would be the dream first home. I told Dylan the next day that this little green house by the park is where we needed to be. Fast forward a few months, and we signed the papers and had our first mortgage payment. Our home has been our safe space and retreat for over three years now. We've had countless parties, dinners, and holidays where loved ones filled our rooms with laughter and love. I know we will eventually move on to "bigger and better" things, but this home will always have a special place our hearts.

We decided to take a long weekend and get away for a bit to a small town in Maryland in August. We had planned to spend lots of time exploring the area, golfing, and finding a beach to break up the endless quarantine summer that was 2020. On the first full day there, we had been tired from golfing all day and decided to get dinner at the hotel restaurant. In typical Dylan fashion, he spent half the dinner trying to convince me that he didn't think marriage was something he wanted to do and that it was an overall unnecessary step in our relationship. Many eye rolls later, we thought it would be nice to share a bottle of wine on the rocking chairs that lined the front porch of the hotel. We sat and talked for a long time, people-watching and listening to the rain hit the ground on the streets beyond the covered porch. Eventually, Dylan suggested we go up to bed. I gathered all our things and began to walk inside. I realized Dylan wasn't next to me and turned around. I turned to see Dylan down on one knee with a cute little smirk on his face. I think I blacked out a little at this point, but I do remember Dylan saying it had been a long-time coming and then me asking him if "this was real". It was a beautiful and private moment that was completely and utterly perfect. We didn't tell anyone about this exciting news until we returned from our trip. It was so nice to celebrate and enjoy this time together.

As many of you know, we "did the thing" and officially tied the knot on November 21, 2020 surrounded by our closest family members. This was such an intimate day that we will forever hold close in our hearts. This small ceremony and dinner allowed us to really focus on each other and the "why" behind this special event in our lives as a couple. There were many tears and many laughs, and we cannot wait to create more special memories with everyone as we celebrate in July!