How did you two meet?
Adam: "We first met after our weekly Bible study group from Shades Mountain Baptist Church went to Purple Onion to hang out and grab dinner. Both of us were fairly new to Shades and the young professionals' class, and we were hoping to become immersed in a thriving Gospel community. Not knowing many people there, we sat next to each other, and after a few minutes we introduced ourselves. I could tell she was really shy because Hannah was on her phone some of the time, but she caught my eye quickly. After a couple of weeks of not seeing each other at church due to being out of town or work, I decided to invite Hannah to play in my annual college football pick'em via Facebook in hopes that I might get a chance to talk to her. Well, I got that chance. One night after Bible study, we went with a small group of people from Shades to eat at Urban Cookhouse, but we weren't able to talk to each other like we wanted. As we were walking back to our cars, which were strategically parked next to each other, I asked Hannah if she wanted to go out on a date with me sometime. She said yes, and the rest is history."
Hannah: "When meeting Adam after Bible study at dinner that night, I knew there was something different about him that intrigued me, and I wanted to get to know him better. I couldn't get him off of my mind. For several weeks after that I made an effort to talk to him each time I saw him at church in the hopes of getting closer. I am a pretty shy person too so this was way out of my comfort zone, but definitely worth it. When I saw the message invite from him to play in his college football pick ’em contest, I was so excited. He didn’t have my phone number yet so had to send me a cute Facebook message, but it worked. Adam had caught my attention even more than before. It seemed to always be difficult to find a chance to talk just the two of us in our large church group, and I felt like I would never have to opportunity to get to know him. Finally, after dinner after Bible study one night, where I once again didn’t have the chance to talk to Adam much, he walked me to my car and asked me on a date."
What are some things y'all like to do together?
Hannah: "When we are not cooking together we always love trying new Birmingham restaurants, and we especially love getting ice cream at Edgewood Creamery and going to The Heavenly Donut Company. We also enjoy doing outdoor activities like going on walks, playing tennis and lounging in the ENO under the stars. Of course we are also perfectly content with a night in watching Friends. Most recently, though, we thoroughly enjoy shopping for and fixing up our new home."
Hannah-- what's one of the things you admire most about Adam?
Hannah: "What I love most about Adam is his caring and humble spirit. He is so selfless. Adam values the simple things in life, and he will go out of his way to make me feel so special, even with the smallest gestures. He constantly uplifts me whether it is with a scripture passage, an excerpt from a book or article, a funny video or a corny joke. His thoughtfulness is admirable, and there is no act of kindness too great for him-- and I believe our friends and family would agree wholeheartedly. He has the most encouraging words and always knows exactly what to say to reign me back in. His love for me reflects Christ’s love for us and that brings me so much joy."
How and when did Adam propose?
Hannah: "We were visiting Adam’s parents in Opelika as we often do, and things were going like they normally do on our trips down there; shopping, eating at our favorite places and looking around Auburn’s campus. We woke up that Saturday morning to terrible weather and quite the monsoon. Adam and I had made waffles for breakfast while his mom actually made us put down our breakfast, grab shoes and helmets, and hide in the hallway because of the tornado warnings. Little did I know while this was going on. Adam was frantically pulling out his back up proposal plan for that afternoon. After the rain started to clear some, we decided to get out and about around town. I noticed at lunch Adam barely ate anything which is not like him, but I didn’t think much of it. Then he kept driving us to several stores to go shopping which was not uncommon for us either, but he seemed to be dragging it out. He finally said that we should go get some ice cream, and on the way he drove the scenic route past our favorite spot in Auburn, the Red Barn, which is where he had originally planned to propose that day. A few minutes after that, I actually fell asleep in the car which worked for Adam’s advantage. When I woke up we were parked in front of First Baptist Opelika, and I quickly realized there was no ice cream. He grabbed his Bible and walked me into the small chapel at the church down to the altar. He stopped at the front where there was a picture of us and hydrangeas, my favorite flowers. He opened his Bible and read some passages from 1 John 4, then proceeded to say some very sweet words. He got down on one knee, pulled out the most beautiful ring which he had been carrying in his vest pocket the entire day, and asked me to marry him. I didn't just say, 'yes,' I said, 'absolutely!' After he proposed, there were more surprises waiting at his parents' house. He had invited many our friends and my family to join us after to celebrate. It was such a special day."
Adam- what's one of the things you admire most about Hannah?
Adam: "It’s hard to pick just one thing, so I’ll pick two. Hannah’s smile can light up any room. If I’m having a rough day, her smile can make things so much better. She always knows how to keep me grounded and is such a great encourager. Her love of encouragement is a direct reflection of how she imitates Christ’s love. I also love the passion that she shows when she gets excited about something big or small. I love hearing about her interactions with her patients at work, and seeing her get excited about things like that gives me joy. Her joy is my joy."
