Like many modern couples, Jesse and Sarah were on "the dating apps" back in 2023, and while they had matched, they merely chatted before Jesse started seeing someone else. Then, like many millenials, they added each other on Facebook because at least they could be friends! Fast forward to early 2024, and Jesse reached back out to Sarah to go out to dinner. Unfortunately (as is the case with Sarah all the time), she was busy (directing a show, acting in a show, and interviewing for a Big New Job). She just didn't have time to date! The week of her 30th birthday, she opened a show at Little Theatre and accepted a new job at United Way of Tuscarawas County. When that news broke, Jesse thought it would be prudent to get in touch with the new director of United Way to talk about the ways United Way and Legal Aid could support each other. While he had a phone call in mind, Sarah suggested a work lunch, which lasted two hours. That wasn't the spark that lit the fire, though. They had exchanged numbers, but didn't have a reason to stay in touch. When Sarah was telling her brother about the cute lawyer she had just met, Matt said "Oh, I know that guy. He goes to the gym. He's always on the stair stepper." So next time Matt saw Jesse at the gym, Sarah thought it was a great idea to go to the gym that day. A happy hour meet was planned, but it was not a date. They had their first date on August 23rd, 2024, and went to The Delaware for dinner followed by drinks at Bud and Tooties. Jesse walked Sarah home and kissed her! It only took Jesse three months to convince Sarah that they should be "officially" together. (Sarah was resistant to commitment, can you believe?) In April, Sarah convinced Jesse to attend his good friends' wedding in Italy (and jump over to the Netherlands to visit her bestie). This trip solidified that a.) Jesse REALLY must love Sarah if he was getting on (multiple!) planes for her, and b.) Sarah REALLY must love Jesse because even after 10 days together, she wasn't sick of him. They moved in together shortly thereafter, and still weren't tired of each other. In fact, living together was kind of awesome. They enjoy going on walks in the nearby park and meal-prepping together every Sunday. When Jesse asked Sarah to go for a walk together one Sunday at the end of September, she was surprised when the story walk around the pond was their story. Jesse asked to continue that story together, and here we are, ready for the next chapter!