Buckeye Desert Engagement – Jesse & Justin

Our editor once had a friend that referred to her job as “a place comprised entirely of shredded lettuce.” It was a funny way of describing a workplace like many others, a quick-stop food service gig that keeps you busy and gives you the money to pay the bills. Most of us end up having a job like that, we think. It’s hard work, but it’s good for a variety of reasons, for helping people understand what others are like, for learning the value of hard labor, for respecting the people who make our food for us when we don’t have the wherewithal to do so. Sometimes, those workplaces end up helping us find love.

The company comprised entirely of shredded lettuce is known to most people as Jimmy John’s. Quick service, fresh sandwiches, and plenty of veggies: a sandwich shop to appreciate, whether you’re a Subway, Jimmy John’s, or Quizno’s kind of person. Jesse and Justin were lucky: their experience at Jimmy John’s brought them together. It wasn’t just a part-time job, not just something to put them through school, but the place that sparked love. You really can find romance in unexpected places, don’t you think?

Their love spun out from there. They’d known each other since they were 15, taking six whole years as friends, seeing each other grow and blossom into fully-fledged human beings instead of the teenagers they once were. Forming that base for a relationship is important, whether you’re learning someone new or igniting a love for an old friend: you have to truly get to know one another. Considering how much time we spend at work, it’s no wonder that a gig at Jimmy John’s turned this coworker dynamic into a friendship.

Fast forward to today, and we have two amazing adults whose love is apparent. With sandwich shops in the rear view, Jesse and Justin spend their time raising their eight-year-old son, binging Netflix shows, and ice fishing. That’s right: ice fishing. This photoshoot wasn’t anything new for them–Jesse and Justin are used to the great outdoors, braving the cold for sport, for fun, and for spending time together. (There’s got to be a comment here about their love warming each other up on those cold days with their lines cast and the fish a-bitin’. It’s freakin’ cute.) Photographing them was a breeze, and we could really tell how much Jesse and Justin truly like each other as friends, not just as partners.

Just look at ‘em.

There’s something to be said about knowing someone for so long. Whether they’re your friend or your partner, you learn their likes, their dislikes, their hopes and dreams and quirks. Jesse’s quirk: she’s rarely ever surprised. She loves to insist Justin will never surprise her, and for the most part, that’s true.

But people contain multitudes, not to mention that children are full of surprises all on their own. One relaxing evening, Jesse was in her room watching TV. It seemed to be a night like any other. Justin was keeping their son busy, giving mommy well-deserved time to kick back for a bit… or so she thought. Their home was quiet, and if you’re a parent, you know that a quiet home either means your child is asleep or they’re up to something.

Little did Jesse know it was the second: Justin and their son were up to something. It wasn’t the typical eight-year-old antics, though. Justin and their son opened the door, and their son got down on one knee, and Justin got down on one knee, and before Jesse knew it, there was a ring in their hands and then on hers.

The mental image makes us smile like we’re hearing it all over again. Jesse and Justin have formed a loving family, and we’re nothing but happy for them. We can’t wait to see what happens next.

Congrats, Jesse and Justin! See you in the near future!

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