So how did a Kansas boy and a Kauai girl end up together? The short answer is…some encouraging friends, the boldness to make a phone call, and a jump off a cliff. The true answer is that God was incredibly creative and gracious in helping us find each other. Our foundation of friendship, and our shared core values and strong faith made it clear we were meant to join together in the ultimate adventure of marriage.
Adam was on island to help start a youth ministry and also substitute teach. Some friends gave him my number and encouraged him to call. He took a risk and left a voicemail and I took a risk and agreed to meet him (after seeing a cute picture of him and some kids playing at the beach). Our first date included jumping off a cliff and trying to chat while swimming around – Adam doggy paddling and me mermaiding (ha!).
Adam: I was trying to be cool in the ocean, and I’m like, “Yeah, I’m all right out here. I’m cool.” She’s trying to have a casual conversation in the water and I’m swimming for my life.
From then we built a friendship, hung out a lot (hikes and surfing) and got to know each other really well. We just kind of hit it off. We both had a heart for the Lord and a heart for caring for others, and it turned out a Kansas-boy and Kauai-girl can have a whole lot in common.
I didn’t tell my family about Adam right away, mainly because I didn’t want my mom to know about him. (Sorry, Moms.) Finally, I took him to a public event with my family and it was actually my brother’s wedding! How’s that for a big entrance? The first day my family saw Adam he was escorting my grandma around the wedding – then we knew he was a keeper.
Fast forward to our engagement story, which you will hear us tell in the video. Adam went all out! It was a well-planned and elaborate day that included a swim, a walk in a garden, a hidden ring and one knee (spoiler alert…I said yes), a boat ride, snorkeling, and a surprise celebration dinner with our loved ones. I told you it was a good story!
Adam: “I got down on one knee and I told her how much I loved her, what she meant to me, what I thought our relationship meant, and how God was a part of it.”
Our wedding day was all that weddings should be…a beautiful blur, the best day of our lives, and an incredible celebration. You’ll hear more about it in the video and you’ll probably be surprised to find out that our wedding and honeymoon were not on a beach.
Adam: Everyone thought we’d have the wedding on the beach next to the ocean, but we found a really amazing private property in the fields. With a mountain backdrop, it was awesome to say our vows in the presence of God and our Creator and be able to express our love and have God’s blessing upon our marriage and relationship in front of our friends and family.
And to think, that was just the beginning of our love story! We hope you enjoy this video, the pictures, and a glimpse of our story. I think everyone deserves an incredible love story and I encourage you to wait and pray and be hopeful for yours. Or if you are already living your love story, I hope you will do the work, forgive, prioritize, and invest in your most special relationship.
Happy 7th Anniversary to us 🙂
