"Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate" Mark 10:9

One Bavarian summer evening in July of 2022, I had no idea I was going to meet my future wife. I was on my way to a seemingly casual dinner with friends when I had a realization. Who is this fourth person on the reservation? (Sam: Meanwhile, our mutual friend, Kelsey orchestrated this whole 'chance' encounter). That’s when I saw her. As I approached the restaurant, I saw Sam and Kelsey walking toward me from my left across the street beside St. Josef’s Catholic Church. I literally stopped in my tracks. Sam was glowing. Wearing her famous white Birkenstocks, she approached me by the door, and we were finally introduced (Sam: at this moment is when I found out Jake had no idea he was meeting *me* tonight, immediately cueing the nerves). During dinner at Ruff’s, I became enamored with Sam. She was hilarious, smart, and not afraid to jab at me with a joke, which I loved (Sam: I was so nervous I could barely eat and only ordered a side of fries at a burger joint). What really stood out to me was how Sam expressed her faith. I remember thinking she was one of a kind. The church, St. Josef’s was visible to me over Sam’s shoulder the entire dinner. It felt like a sign from God to not let this be our only meeting. Our first date was unforgettable. The conversation was not as giddy as it had been at Ruff’s. We had been on leave for two weeks and I showed up with a full beard, which Sam told me she didn’t like, shattering my ego because I thought I looked really cool. It felt almost like a security clearance interview when Sam asked me what my childhood trauma was. I tried to be funny. Sam didn’t laugh. But I was trying so hard to impress her. Sam was real, something I had never experienced from another person and she was really trying to get to know the real me. At the time, I didn’t even know who that was. After I got home I called my mom and was still so awe struck by Sam that my mom thought I didn’t enjoy myself because of my mono-tone (Sam: I think the expression was Jake sounded drunk!). The next morning, I texted Sam to ask her out again and she accepted (Sam: This is my favorite part of our story. I was so guarded and defensive I truly did not know if I could enter a relationship. I was in a serious self-reliant phase and genuinely scared of being vulnerable and getting hurt. I felt God telling me to trust Him and let down my armor, my weapons of hyper-vigilance and interrogation. I expected first dates to be love bombing and internal fireworks and a cortisol pike. I never expected the peace I felt with Jake. He began and has remained to be this protective container making space for me to be my full and complete self. It started with that text. It was the sweetest message I have ever received. It was the sincerity I needed to take the next step). Over the next three months in Germany, we had several dates and we could not stay away from each other. I began going to Mass every Sunday with Sam and found my way back to our faith. (Sam: we even started reading Theology of the Body for beginners lol!) Sam first saw me cry during this period when we both became very sick and while trying to take care of each other, I could barely eat my oatmeal. Swallowing was so painful I cried, giving Sam the ick for the first time (Sam: who said that was the first?). On a trip to Bratislava, Slovakia I first said, “I love you” and Sam reciprocated with a smile as we walked down the street after I ate two comically large hot dogs at a restaurant. From here we quickly fell deeper and deeper into love and began talking about marriage. Knowing I was due to PCS to Virginia in early November 2022, we spent as much time as we could together. We would sneak ways to see each other at work, spent our four day weekends in Porto, Portugal (Sam: where we had the best meal of our lives encompassing of mainly bread and olive oil cake), at Oktoberfest, and one last hurrah at a Halloween goodbye bar crawl (plug for our gallery pictures > Matrix costume).

Since then, Sam and I (apart) have endured her move to Italy, my move to Virginia and Tennessee, my rotation to Romania (where I was able to propose in Italy), Sam’s move back to the U.S., and my decision to leave the Army and pursue law school with many adventures in between. (Sam: We have been blessed with travels to over a dozen countries. Filled with memories like: [embarrassingly] mini cigars in Bratislava, double polaroids at a speakeasy in Prague, Rosary pilgrimage in Matera, Italy, left-side driving to Cliffs of Moher, and evermore. Our last three years have been magical but I know we both cannot wait to end the distance and establish our Domestic Church as newlyweds in Ordinary Time). I am elated to be marrying Sam this May. If you had asked me two and a half years ago if I would be where I am today I would have seriously doubted it (Sam: I struggled with how long it has taken us to get to the altar but can truly testify now it is all in His timing alone. God is a good God and a providential Father. I believe we are running to the altar more free and wholehearted than we would have been a year or two before. Jake is the best person I have ever met and has fundamentally taught me, through his example, how to love. With tenderness, grace, and abundant mercy. I am proud to be his partner and future wife! I love you Jake!) Sam brings the best out of me and challenges me to a better man. She is the best teammate and friend I could have asked for. I owe Sam my life and I love her dearly.