They met online, on OKCupid! Both of them were nearly ready to quit the site, but they found each other and talked as friends for over a month before going on their first date. They went to The Emory in Ferndale on March 29th, 2015 for their long-awaited date, and they liked each other immediately. They dated for two wonderful months before Kate left for an 8-week-long summer opera program in Virginia, with extremely limited WiFi and cell signal. Every time they wanted to talk, she would have to drive 30 minutes from tiny, secluded Castleton to Culpeper, with its strip malls and Walmart and glorious glorious cell phone towers. It was after 8 weeks apart, missing each other terribly, and with Jacob being the best supporter of all time, that they decided to take it to the next level - meeting Jacob's then 8 year old son and 10 year old daughter. Kate met Violet and Owen on July 23rd, 2015 - they all took a trip together to the Detroit Zoo. This is an anniversary they acknowledge every year, their Kid Anniversary. Jacob and Kate got engaged on December 2nd, 2016, and since then they have both started new jobs, moved into a new house together with the kiddos, and the four of them have grown to be truly family. Owen and Violet are now 12 and 14 and are in middle and high school. The whole clan can't wait to make it official in July!