TL/DR Matt will tell you that we were introduced at camp in 2019, and that I was a “mean girl” who blew him off. That I don’t remember. What I do remember is working together virtually during the summer of 2020 and in-person that fall, stuffing envelopes for camper or donor mailings. It was during one of those envelope stuffing sessions that he and I first started chatting, and I mentioned that I was in the process of buying a condo. He casually mentioned that he was handy and was happy to help. Matt texted me later that day saying how he really would be happy to help with anything condo related and I specifically remember turning to my boss and saying something like, “Do you think he’s serious?”. Well, he was. So when I closed on my condo, he helped me paint and kept coming back to do more projects for me. I needed my TV mounted – Matt did it. I wanted to replace the electric plates throughout my entire house – Matt did it. I'd cook or buy him dinner as a thank you. Our friendship grew from there. It must’ve been early February of 2021 that I woke up from a dream in which Matt and I were dating. I recall telling my friends and kind of laughing, wouldn’t that be weird if I dated Matt? I went out of town for a few days and I missed him. I took a chance and told him that. To which he replied, “If we’re being honest, I’m kind of falling for you.” In true Matt fashion, he forced the emotional conversation out of me that I traditionally do well at avoiding. It took about another month, but he finally asked me to dinner. I fell head over heels for him faster than I believed possible. He is the love of my life and one of the best people I know. I can't wait to marry him in front of our closest friends and family.

The first time I met Jillian was at GUCI in 2019. When I arrived at camp, the only four people I knew were incredibly busy. When I finally got to ask Jeremy what I should be doing, he simply said “Go outside and make friends.” Nervous, I walked over to a small group and waited for a break in their conversation to introduce myself. Suddenly, their discussion stopped, and one of the ladies blurted “Do you need something?” Caught off guard, I replied “Uh, no, nothing.” All of them started laughing and the speaker said “Well we’re talking, so if you don’t mind,” then motioned with her eyes that I should go away. That wasn’t Jillian. However, she was one of those who laughed. I filed them, in my “mean girls” mental file, and moved on. I was at camp on several occasions over that summer, but never spoke to her. The second time we met was at IHC. Jillian attended Camp Shabbat. I was extremely nervous, she and I hadn’t spoken since “the incident” and I didn’t know how this meeting would go. As luck would have it, she didn’t remember me at all. However, that meeting turned out to be a good one. Everyone had a great time at Camp Shabbat, and Jillian and I became friends. Sort of. As a result of COVID-19, the “last” time we met was on Zoom. Because our 2020 team was small, and most lived out of state, if something was needed at camp there were only 3 of us in town to do it. We did everything from shooting videos to stuffing envelopes. Working together, I could tell that she was a spectacular person. The age difference, and the fact that she is certainly out of my league, made me hesitant to ask her out. At one of these work sessions, Jillian mentioned she was buying a condo that needed some work. I saw this as my “in” to guarantee that she didn’t forget me again. She held a painting party that ended up being the first of many visits that sparked a friendship that will last a lifetime. She is truly the most amazing person I have ever met. I can't wait to become her husband.