How We Met
Clarice and Jake first met at Grand Valley in 2014 where they became friends instantly.
Her First Memory of Him
“Who’s that guy in my math class?”
For once, I showed up to math class early—and there he was. The only other student in the room, quietly getting settled. I watched as he lined up his pencils, opened his notebook just so, and took a deep, grounding breath like he was about to run a marathon (or, you know, solve for x). I couldn’t help but think: He's cute. And he looks like he actually does the homework. Oh—and I noticed we both lived in the same dorm building, Robinson.
His First Memory of Her
“It was like a scene from a movie.”
She was standing in the doorway of our dorm, 112 Robinson, when Mitch introduced us and time kind of slowed down (queue the fans and slow motion cinematography). I looked at her, smiled, and said, “Hi, I’m Jake,” in my naturally chipper tone. In that moment, I honestly already knew. There was something about her—calm, funny, effortlessly real.
As the years passed, the miles between them grew but the spark was still there when distant memories would come to mind.
It’s a date
“Let’s go snowboarding?”
Clarice headed to Crystal Mountain with her siblings on Christmas Eve, bravely gearing up to attempt the art of snowboarding. With some thrifted equipment and lots of determination, she was ready to give it her best shot.
Jake met her there and was prepared to offer some semi-solicited tips. He stayed by her side the whole time — coaching, cheering, and occasionally catching her mid-fall. But in reality, he was the one falling for her all day long.
The Proposal
“You’re my soulmate — my forever.”
Their camping trip to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula was full of fresh air, beautiful trails, and one very big secret. Jake had planned to propose at the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain—but with Clarice being the itinerary queen, keeping the plan a surprise was no small feat.
Still, he managed to steer their day just right. And as they stood together at the summit, looking out at the world below, Jake turned toward Clarice, heart full, eyes steady—then knelt down and asked her to spend forever with him.
Their friendship has blossomed into something more, sharing a connection stronger than ever and true to it’s roots. Here’s to the next chapter of J+C.
