If you know Jake, you know he has an affinity for bad jokes. If you know Natasha, you know she thinks bad jokes are hilarious (despite any demonstrated eye-rolling). So, when Jake performed several dry-humor jokes at the yearly talent show at Appalachia Service Project, and Natasha was finishing his punchlines in the audience, they should have known there was something special there. Natasha and Jake met in 2022, following a summer of service in the Appalachian Mountains with ASP. Although they were first made aware of each other's existence at the beginning of the summer, they didn't speak to one another until August but connected instantly. It quickly became clear that Jake and Natasha had more in common than they thought, whether it was cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning, their favorite type of bread (pretzel, followed by sourdough), or ideas of what the future looked like. Soon enough, every night was a text or a call from across the country, until Natasha took a trip to Raleigh to "see some friends." Over dinners, mutual enjoyment of Star Wars, and a continuous assortment of bad jokes and pop-culture references, these similarities grew. On November 15, 2022, Jake took one for the team by saying "I love you" first. Flash forward! Over the past two years, Jake and Natasha have done their very best in navigating a long-distance relationship. Booking flights on breaks from school, video calls almost every night, playing 20 (thousand) questions, and consistent intentionality, humor, and communication with one another. Yearly trips between Phoenix and Raleigh turned into anniversary dinners, an ever-growing list of all the movies Natasha hasn't seen, and more adventures and laughter than one could ever imagine. On November 15, 2024, Jake told Natasha "We're going for a hike!" and popped the question. Now we're here. Working to plan a wedding, graduate college, start a new job, write a dissertation, and still rockin' with each other from 2,200 miles away. We're so beyond excited to begin forever with each other and to have all our closest friends and family members with us when we do. We can't wait for November 15, 2025, for celebrations of our story and to share it with you. We can't thank you enough for all of your support, love, and pieces of advice throughout this process. We love you! Jake & Natasha