I met Greg when I was 19 years old. It was a Saturday. I was in Columbia, MO visiting my best friend (current Matron of Honor), at Mizzou, as she was performing in a Step Show later that evening. A few hours before the show, we learned there was a gathering at a local bar so we decided to go. When we walked in, I noticed a guy standing at the bar. She walked up to him and introduced us. "Jay, this is Greg. Greg, this is Jay". We simply said, "Hi". There was no hug. No handshake. Just that one word spoken. I would go on to enjoy the remainder of my weekend without having a single conversation with him. Fast forward 5 years later. It's New Years Day, 2010. My friends and I decided to go out to the nightclub Home, which had become a popular hangout. It was packed. I remember being frustrated because there was barely room to move. We made our way to the dance floor and I remember stopping dead in my tracks. He was randomly right there. In a room full of hundreds of people, I only saw him. After 5 years, everything about that Saturday in Columbia came flooding back and I instantly remembered who he was. I'm not shy, so I walked up to him and said, "Your name is Greg, right?". He nodded, grabbed my hand and we started dancing. After a few songs, I said, "My name is Jessica". He said, "I know". We kept dancing. There, on the dance floor, we exchanged numbers. The next day, he texted me. I texted back. We've been in one another's lives everyday since.

Fat Tuesday 2020. It's our "anniversary" (neither of us can remember the actual date that we became official. But, this day is special for us so we adopted it). I was supposed to coach that night but decided to stay home. Greg tells me to get dressed so that we can go to a few bars and hangout. This is normal for us, so I get up and COMPLETELY take my time getting dressed. Meanwhile, Greg is pacing non-stop. I noticed but didn't because...this is Greg. I finally finish getting dressed and realize I. AM. STARVING. I make my way to the kitchen, and sit at the table waiting for him to say, "Let's go". He is taking for absolute ever. Now, I'm hangry. He goes into the basement, then comes back upstairs. He goes into the guest bedroom, then comes back out. With maybe a minor attitude, I ask "Gregory, WHAT are you doing?" He tells me he is looking for something. In my mind, I'm beyond irritated and all I want are some lemon pepper wings. I tell him I am going to wait in the car for him. I go sit and start playing a game. After a while, I notice that I have won way too many levels and look at the clock. It's been 15 minutes!!! I open the door and yell, "GREGORY!!" He comes back and says he lost his phone. I yell, "OMG, ARE YOU KIDDING?!" He tells me to come in the house to wait. I get out the car and walk into the living room. There's a fire lit and the phrase "G & J" spelled out, in front of the fireplace, in Mardi Gras beads. He asks if I like it. I tell him his ampersand is terrible and we both laugh. I tell him it's cute and am wondering why did this. Again, I reeeeeeally just wanted some wings. He tells me to take a picture. So, I turn around to get my phone off the table. I turn back around but am looking at my phone trying to unlock it to get to the camera. I finally hit the camera button, look up and gasp. Greg was next to the weird looking ampersand on his knee. BTW...he clearly never lost his phone as it was positioned on the shelf recording the entire proposal.