We're getting married

Fall 2015: We crossed paths at West Chester University and started spending more time together! January 22, 2016: We officially became a couple! It took Jon a whole night to muster up the courage to ask (he was a bit nervous). 2016-2019: We navigated college life side by side, balancing early morning classes (with coffee as our lifeline), late-night study sessions, and weekends full of questionable decisions with friends. From moving into dorms and apartments (and realizing Gab has way too many clothes) to tackling the emotional rollercoaster of exams and personal milestones, we handled it all together. And we will always have West Chester to thank for bringing us together! May 2019-2021: We both graduated in 2019, but that meant moving back home. Despite the distance, we made sure to visit each other as often as we could, mostly on weekends. The two-hour drive wasn’t too bad, although Jon might argue—he’d usually call Gab about 10 minutes into the drive saying he was bored! Though we weren’t seeing each other as much, our relationship only grew stronger, with each visit filled with more and more excitement. July 2021: Our first apartment! After hunting for what felt like forever, we finally found a place that wasn’t as ridiculously expensive as the others. It was a 1-bedroom, first-floor apartment in a brand new building in Downingtown, PA. Like any first apartment, it had its quirks (hello, bike rack on the other side of our main wall), but overall, it was a pretty great start. We made it our own, and despite a few challenges, it was the perfect place for our next chapter. August 2021: We got a dog! Yep, just a month after moving in together. One day, we decided to visit our local SPCA with the intent of just "looking at dogs." Well, as we were about to leave, we walked past this shy little pupper with her paws sticking out from under the gate. Gab instantly fell in love. By the time we found someone to ask about adopting her, it was too late in the day, and they were closing up. We were told to come back the next day. While Jon had to work, Gab was back there bright and early, ready to make Lola ours. We successfully adopted our Lola girl and completely shocked our friends and family (who had no idea—we didn’t even know we were doing it until we did!). Our queen of side-eyeing and sassy attitude, Lola, has been our best friend ever since. January 14th, 2023: We’re FINALLY engaged! Jon and Lola had just picked up Gab from a work trip in Atlanta. Jon was all dressed up and sporting a fresh haircut, while Gab was a hot mess from traveling all day. When we got home, Gab was greeted with flowers and gifts (because Jon’s the sweetest). As Gab started opening the gifts, Jon seemed a little more nervous than usual. Then, Gab reached for a small gift bag, pulled out a box, and Jon goes, “I’m going to need that.” Next thing Gab knew, he was down on one knee. The rest of the moment is a total blur because, honestly, Gab had no clue this was coming! It was a beautiful surprise and Jon did a great job with the ring. (Thank you Jon for looking at Gab's Pinterest board!)