John and Jelly were first introduced during a party at the baseball house "The Cape" at Morehead State during the fall of 2018. It wasn't until a year later, in 2019, that they made things official for the first time. They were great supporters of each other, going to games, home and away. It was common for Jelly to surprise John with encouraging notes and fuel (Reign energy drinks and whatever snack looked most exciting) before baseball games. And John would take Jelly to Dairy Queen for a medium cone dipped in chocolate following soccer games. When they weren't practicing or doing schoolwork, they enjoyed watching TV shows, playing games, and cooking together. John's ability to find joy in the small things, his goofy charm, and his excitement for his sport, friends, and exercise science always kept Colleen smiling when her never-ending homesickness felt intolerable. When John decided he was going to stay at Morehead an additional year to be a GA, it worked out that Colleen was going to return for her final year of eligibility. Colleen graduated with her master’s in December of 2023, and John completed his second master’s in the spring of 2024. In the fall of 2024, John was offered a job on the Austin Peay baseball staff and accepted. Shortly after, Colleen accepted a remote wellness position and moved to Clarksville with John, where they live now! One of John’s favorite memories is having a blast at Corynne (Colleen’s sister) and Dillon’s wedding in 2021, especially meaningful because it took place at the same venue where he and Jelly will soon be married. Another shared favorite memory involves the couple’s first trip to Colleen's hometown in December of 2019. Jelly wanted to take John to see the magic at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens’ Festival of Lights. She also thought it was a great opportunity to introduce John to her parents. Christmas lights are something that the couple will always try to carve out time to appreciate during the fleeting holiday season. We have felt so loved and supported along the way, but what we’ve experienced since getting engaged has illuminated how lucky we are. The generosity and thoughtfulness of our people is not surprising, but endlessly meaningful. We love you, and we CANNOT WAIT to PARTY with all of our favorite people!!!