Our story started when we met as interns at the American Heart Association. During our introduction, Jacki gave Zach the weakest handshake he had ever received, as she wasn’t expecting him to try and show off. She would later recount the moment to friends, saying “the other intern went all in on our handshake - he probably thinks I’m a weakling.” At that moment, neither of us could have imagined what the next six plus years would hold. In just a year, we had gone from our first date at Larchmere Porchfest to living together and keeping each other sane through the pandemic. We adopted two cats, our friends became friends, and we spent time sharing our love of food, drinks, nature, and entertaining with each other & our loved ones. In the summer of 2022, we packed up and moved down to Louisville, KY. We planned to see more of the US, while Zach began working towards his Masters of Public Health from UofL. Moving states, building a new network of friends, changing jobs, and diving into higher education seemingly wasn’t enough major life changes, so, just six months into the move, the universe also tacked on Jacki needing open heart surgery. With the incredible support of our families and friends in Cleveland, Louisville, and across the country, we made it through this season of (too much) change even stronger than we had gone in. We moved to Louisville expecting to travel & explore new places, but what made the move truly fulfilling was the relationships we made, impacting us more than we could have hoped or imagined. In July, 2024, we took a trip back up to Cleveland so Jacki could handle some administrative stuff for her car. During this visit, Zach led Jacki to a high point at Wendy Park in Cleveland, overlooking Lake Erie, and proposed. Jacki was so excited that she legitimately blacked out while he was asking! After the proposal, we celebrated our new engagement with so many of you, thanks to Zach’s planning. We could continue to outline our relationship and all of the great times we have had, but we don’t feel the need to do so since, if you are reading this, you have been right there with us. You’ve been there for holidays & get-togethers, visited us down in Louisville, traveled the country with us, and helped bring us back home to Cleveland. The future has so much in store for us, and we are so grateful that you are a part of it. Thank you for the memories you’ve created with us and for all that you have done for us and we are so excited for all of the good times that lie ahead. With love, Zach and Jacki