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Jake and Lydia had known each other for 6 months prior, doing a missionary school together in Toowoomba, Australia. During that time, students weren't allowed to begin a new relationship because of the nature of the school. They knew that there were feelings for each other, but weren't allowed to talk about it. On the graduation night of the school, Jake and Lydia walked to the edge of the hill where their school was, overlooking the city of Toowoomba. That's where they decided to pursue a long distance relationship, whatever that would look like and whatever that would bring. They trusted that God would give them wisdom and show them what path to take in this season - whether it was jump in entirely or part ways if it wasn't meant to be. Jake went home to California, and Lydia to Maryland. After that moment, Jake and Lydia spent 6 months apart, just talking on the phone and getting to know one another - feeling out the relationship. They were both in school and working, just trying to find ways to talk regularly. Things were going really well, and both Jake and Lydia felt more and more that they were made for each other. Then, on June 5th 2017 (Lydia's birthday), Jake surprised Lydia by flying into Baltimore, where he first told her that he loved her, and asked her to officially be his girlfriend, to which she happily agreed. Since then, Jake and Lydia were in a long distance relationship, visiting once every couple of months. In that time Jake and Lydia did a lot together - traveling to Canada to be with their missionary school friends and making road trips to 9 different states. Jake traveled to Mexico and Nicaragua for missions trips, and Lydia traveled to Kenya. Their long distance relationship lasted for a year and half - and after countless hours on the phone, Skype dates and many hand-written letters - they decided it was time. On January 8th, 2019, Jake moved away from home, and drove 3,000 miles across the country to be with the girl of his dreams.

Jake and Lydia were vacationing in the mountains of the Adirondacks with Lydia's family. Anyone who has been to the Adirondacks knows how breathtakingly beautiful it is - with its green mountains and deep lakes and quaint little towns. Jake had been planning his big moment months before they left for the Adirondacks, having multiple conversations with her family about just how he would do it. Finally, the day had come. On the morning of July 16th, Lydia and Jake hiked up Cascade Mountain with Lydia's family, all the while Jake knowing what was about to happen later that day. When they all got home from the hike, Lydia's mom and sister-in-law Nichele managed to get Lydia out of the house for some shopping. While Lydia was out of the house, the boys got to work. After everything was ready, Jake texted Lydia's mom letting her know that they could bring her home. When they got home, Lydia opened the door to the garage, and there she saw pictures of her and Jake, lined up on the stairs leading to the door to the kitchen. In the kitchen their favorite song was playing, and more pictures and candles led to the door to the balcony. As she opened the door to the balcony, there stood Jake, among stringed lights, and pictures of them, capturing all of their moments together, hanging from the stringed lights. Jake told Lydia that on each picture (94 to be exact) he wrote one reason why he loved her. Jake assured her that she was the woman he wanted to be with for the rest of his life - that there was no other person that made him feel the way that she did. That was when Jake got down on one knee, and popped the question. Lydia, so excited she could barely stand, managed to get out a faint "yeah!" and accepted! The whole family came out, so excited for the journey ahead for the future Mr. and Mrs. Funk.