I asked Jake to tell the story of how we met and his story was “School”… Our story begins at Central Middle School in Reading, PA! Like all great stories, our's takes a turn pretty much right away because depending on which one of us you ask, the memory of when we first met is different. Jake remembers us first meeting on the school field during outdoor time with our classes in Spring of 2021. He brought his seventh grade class outside after lunch, where I had also brought my sixth graders, and while they were running around playing football and trying to climb the fence, I was lounging in the grass. I do vaguely remember talking to him as I brought my kids back inside, but I say our first time really talking wasn't until the next school year, in November 2021. We would both take our kids who walk home out a specific door at the end of the school day, and Jake would run back in behind me and strike up a conversation as we walked back to our classrooms. He eventually asked me personally out to drinks, to which I invited him out to a very large group gathering with co-workers. Fast forward to mid December when he again asked me out, and took me to Painting with a Twist (neither of us are art teachers, by the way) and we painted snowmen and had lunch together after. We went on a few other dates and when Jake’s New Year’s plans tragically fell through, we ended up together at one of my bridesmaid’s (shoutout to Meredith!) homes celebrating the start of 2022 and what would become the official start of our relationship. I remember almost immediately after saying yes to being his girlfriend, I also became annoyed because I have a very strong dislike for important dates falling on days that are “already days” (birthdays on Halloween, that sort of thing). But it all worked out because Taylor Swift wrote a song called New Year’s Day, so now I love our holiday anniversary! (Note - July 26th, 2024 is specifically NOT a nationally or globally recognized holiday). (Also note - Jake says I actually specifically stated “I never want an anniversary to be on a holiday” on the way to Meredith’s that night, but the plan was already in motion so he asked anyway.) When we returned to school from that winter break, my students immediately noticed what they described as an “excited, smiley, happier Miss Burdumy” and made it their mission to uncover who my new boyfriend was for the rest of the school year. It took them until May to figure out he was working only two floors up, and would be their teacher and coach in two short years! (Note - This is the group of kids we both are currently teaching now as eighth graders, and it has been so special to share this year of planning with the kids who knew us back at the very beginning!) As the many school years and sports seasons that Jake coached and I attended as a loyal fan started and came to a close, we continued dating. In April 2023, while I was in NYC with my mom and brother, Jake set up a “secret meeting” with my dad, and on June 22nd, 2023 at Kaaterskill Falls in the Catskills (NY), Jake asked me to marry him on a mid morning walk surrounded by my family! As someone who has been dreaming of getting married since I was very little, it was the moment of my dreams and we are so excited to be married and celebrate with everyone! (*Note - After he read my version of the story, Jake said “Yeah, let’s go with your story!”)