Janie grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Jay Hellebusch is originally from Washington, Missouri — a small town just west of St. Louis. They met during their freshman year at Xavier University in a political science class, where sparks did not immediately fly. Instead, they became friends, the kind who subtly flirt but pretend it’s nothing, spend hours talking but call it “studying,” and generally dance around the fact that everyone could see what was going on...except them. After four years of circling around what everyone else already knew, Jay finally asked Janie out just months before leaving for law school. Those last few months together in Cincinnati became some of their most cherished memories. When it came time for Jay to move, Janie helped him pack up his place in Grandin Bridge and send him off to Kansas City to start school and be closer to family. Janie says, “If we made it through packing a U-Haul together, we can do anything.” That moment marked the (surprisingly romantic) beginning of their long-distance chapter. For the next few years, they lived apart in Cincinnati and Kansas City. Through juggling shared calendars, busy schedules, career moves, weekend visits, and being present for the people they love. It was a labor of love that brought them even closer, turning distance into devotion and routine into something meaningful. Now, the long-distance chapter is officially coming to a close, and the countdown has begun! Janie will be transferring to her company’s Kansas City office. This move marks not just the end of a chapter, but the beginning of an even more exciting one. As they prepare for marriage, Janie and Jay are filled with gratitude; for the memories they’ve made, the love they’ve built, and the role God continues to play in shaping their story.