Clair's version: We first met in the summer of 2015 at a camp we were both working at in Colorado. At the end of our time, we headed our separate ways- me to Fayetteville, AR and Jackson to Chicago, IL. Fast forward 5 years, I reached out to Jackson when I was heading to the Smoky Mountains. Before meeting up, we facetimed for over an hour and continued to do so over the next month. When the time finally came for my trip to the Smokies, I flew in early and Jackson picked me up from the airport for a 6 hour date day! We got tacos, went to thrift stores, played games, and got Jeni's ice cream. Four years later, we still do all of those things! And I still crush him in Monopoly Deal every time. :) Jackson's version: An older friend of mine once said to me, "Everyone who does Young Life ministries eventually meets their wife through it. You know that right?" At the time, I was probably 19 or 20 and laughed at the comment. Little did I know, he was going to be right and her name was Clair Matteson Mulvihill! Clair and I met each other serving at a Colorado Young Life summer camp in 2015. I was in the kitchen cooking 5AM to 9PM, and she was being her blissful self selling shirts and ice cream at the camp gift shop. My eyes were drawn to her day 1 while hers were probably focused on ice cream (one of her favorite past times). While our time at the camp was short and my spare time from the kitchen brief, I made every effort and excuse to go the gift shop just to see those green eyes and bright smile even if it meant buying too many shirts or stickers every time. By the end of our time at camp, I had come to find out she was dating someone else pretty seriously and respectfully kept my distance. At our airport farewells, I vividly remember thinking to myself, "God if you ever give me the chance, I am going to marry that girl." And realistically, said chances were slim to none: She was in Arkansas dating another person, and I was in Chicago, foreseeably nowhere NEAR Arkansas (I currently basically live in Arkansas). We parted ways, time passed, and the end. But newsflash, this was a Marvel movie where there is an end credit scene. The end credit scene goes as follows: 6 YEARS LATER... the screen fades black and emerges to me sitting at a coffee shop sipping a small coffee, no creamer of course. My phone buzzes in my pocket. My inner monologue, "It might be Jake to see if we should cook a beef wellington or tuna tartare." In a quick motion I glance at my phone and the screen focuses and zooms in to see the notification message: Hey I'll be in the Smokies soon!.. - from Clair Mulvihill. The screen immediately turns black. End scene! The following sequels follow the tenacity of love from dating long distance, moving to new homes, and finding a new life together! Clair and I have "met" twice now. The first as friends, the second with more intention. Despite the 6 year gap of "meeting again", God did his work in my life and in Clair's for us to cross paths again. 6 years ago, never in my imagination would the slim chances of marrying Clair Mulvihill be a real thing! It was a prayer answered, just not on my time. I'm thankful Clair daily chooses me and I daily choose Clair. I wouldn't wish it any other way. That was a long read but thank you for taking some time to glance it! If you want more details of the message, ask me directly >:).