Come help us Celebrate!

Jamie and Grace's story started in 2015 at pizza hut. Grace remembers, "The table was full of people I didn't know and I was told to sit next to Jamie. I was told 'they won't bite.' Jamie turned to me with a big grin saying 'You don't know that!'" From there, the two would slowly build a friendship at church and camps. They grew closer as they navigated their awkward, clumsy friendship full of nights where Grace supported Jamie at the baseball field and Jamie would follow Grace to her Dungeons and Dragons group. While talking about Jamie, Grace said, "I knew we were friends but it had become looking for them in the faces around me, wanting to share every triumph with them, knowing I wanted them with me when we faced the future. My friends didn't have me kicking my feet and giggling over texts like Jamie did." When asked if there was a moment they knew Grace was the one, Jamie explained, "I can't think of a specific moment but I am not a fan of hugs. I had hugged a lot of people before but when Grace hugged me it felt right, like I was supposed to be in her arms. It wasn't awkward or crushing. I knew that she was my safety and I don't want to let that go." Jamie told us "One day Grace had a bad night. I didn't like that she felt that way so I decided to show her something special that my mom had shown me. I drove Grace out to the airport on a dark summer night and shut all of my car lights off." Grace remembers that night fondly "The lights went out and we were surrounded by silence and fireflies. They blinked softly all around us as we sat in the quiet. It took my breath away with how pretty and calming it was." Jamie finished the story by stating "I was happy to share something so beautiful with someone I found beautiful." Grace started bringing Jamie to game nights and Jamie brought Grace to plays. Grace's friends became Jamie's and Jamie's friends became Grace's. Two of their friends decided to play match maker one night. Josiah and Kylee say, "We told them we were going star gazing but ended up just nudging them in the direction of coming clean about their feelings for each other." Jamie and Grace still haven't let them live it down but, in the end, are grateful for their interference. It is thanks to the other that these two have grown into more confident people. They often reflect on how much they have changed but how whole and correct those changes have felt. They both agree that they can't wait to see how they will continue to grow as they step into this big new change together.