Jason Tillman and Erin Welsh were married on June 3 after four years together. Congratulations! For the last three years, Jason and Erin have lived on Stoney Pointe Drive part of the time with Jason's son, Zach, who turned 9 in June. Surely, June will always be a special month for Team Tillman.

Erin shared her and Jason's idea of what Team Tillman entails. "We've always referred to the three of us as a team, something Jason and I both value growing up playing sports and knowing the importance of having your teammates' backs. It's a great reminder that we will always be a team and support each other through the challenges and wins in life." Team Tillman, by extension, includes the two dogs, Sophie, a 13-year-old Golden Retriever/Husky/Shepherd mix, and Scout, a 2-year-old Border Heeler mix. Sophie and Scout are rescue dogs and have a special bond with Zach. Sophie was originally Erin's family's dog and came with Erin when they moved to Hidden Lake. Jason and Erin took Zach to an adoption day at a pet store and surprised him by bringing home Scout a few days later. Erin said, "Scout is full of sass, and Sophie is such a gentle, sweet dog." It sounds like Scout and Sophie are a good fit for Team Tillman.

Jason's family is from the Brighton community, where his father was a teacher at Brighton High School, and Erin grew up on Lake Angelus, although both lived in Royal Oak before moving to Hidden Lake. The Tillmans met in college as students at Michigan State University, where Jason played goalie for the soccer team, through a mutual friend and reconnected 13 years later at an Orange Theory class in Royal Oak. They enjoyed an instant connection and have been together ever since! On a date driving to Michigan State for a football game, Jason took Erin to a "neighborhood" you may have heard he had been eyeing. They went through the "neighborhood" and began learning and seeing what makes Hidden Lake so unique. Erin elaborated, "As we drove through the gates, we were both struck by how beautiful, well-kept and family-friendly the neighborhood was. I think that was the moment Jason decided he would live here. We started looking more seriously at houses in the subdivision a few months later."

The first weekend Jason and Erin moved into Hidden Lake, Zach wanted to walk the neighborhood. Erin said, "Any kid Zach saw, he immediately introduced himself and asked if they wanted to play together. He's not afraid to put himself out there, which I think tends to fade as we grow older, and I hope that Zach is never afraid to be himself. Zach is the kindest kid I've ever met." Zach currently attends Workman Elementary in Canton. He plays soccer and is looking forward to joining a swim team in the fall.

The Tillmans' Friday night is movie night snuggled up on the couch, and often on Saturday mornings, there is a trip into downtown Brighton for breakfast together to unwind after the week, laugh and enjoy time together. Jason, Erin and Zach love being active as a family — getting outside, taking walks and playing sports together. Jason and Erin are on a kickball team in Ann Arbor, which has been a great way to stay active and meet new people. 

Erin is a teacher by trade and spent a decade in the classroom as a high school English teacher, but this past year she stepped away from the classroom and is currently pursuing a role in people operations. Jason has been a clinical sales manager for Intuitive Surgical for the last six years. Erin said, "It's been amazing to see Jason's growth in the company. I'm not sure I've ever met someone who loves their profession as much as Jason loves being a part of this company." She continued, "What I admire most about Jason is his positive attitude and parenting. He always encourages any idea I have, no matter how complicated or silly, and I fell in love watching him parent his son. He is a patient, funny and excellent role model to Zach."

Jason and Erin love how family-friendly the neighborhood is, how welcoming the neighbors are, and how involved everyone is in community events. "One of our favorite memories was the weekend we moved here. It was Easter, and it was pouring rain. We thought there was no way anyone would show up to the community center for pictures with the Easter Bunny, but we went anyway, and we couldn't believe how many people turned up! I think that's a testament to how much people love connecting and getting together in this neighborhood."

Team.

El Arbol and Single Barrel Social

We love Ronin in Royal Oak.

First-ever Tillman family vacation to Bonita Springs, FL, last spring. Zach could've slept on a raft in the pool, and he would've. What made it so memorable was watching him experience the joy of having no care in the world, swimming all day, sailing and seeing marine life. 

One vacation I am very much looking forward to is our honeymoon in September. We will be traveling to a few islands in Greece. 

BAS Christmas Elf Holiday Giving Program

Jason coaches U9 Soccer Team.

Michigan State Spartans, of course! And, despite years of heartbreak, we will always cheer for the Lions. 

We just finished Severance on AppleTV and loved it. 

Our favorite go-to recipe is black bean chicken enchiladas. It's a Blue Apron recipe that we've tweaked over the years.