Posing After a Wedding We Attended

How We Met

(Andrew) I first learned about Brenda through her brother Braden's emails. I knew Braden & Johanna in Cambodia where I spent about a year doing volunteer work and after I left Braden started sending me his email newsletters. He would always address the messages to his parents and to Brenda. I wondered who Brenda might be but didn't know much more about her or where she lived. Later on I discovered her name in the church bulletin where she was listed as a Sabbath School leader and thought it would be nice to meet her. Finally after still more time had passed I visited the Sabbath School group on April 9, 2005 and she happened to be teaching that day.

(Brenda) I was not supposed to be teaching but had traded with someone a few days before. When Andrew entered the room I noticed him but went on teaching. After Sabbath school he came up to me and said, "I know your brother in Cambodia". I said, "Well that's nice" and went on to something else. Then he proceeded to tell me how he knew Braden and that he had visited their house and played games with them. I was still not interested. Later I invited him to our Sabbath School social that evening but told him I would probably not be there. I had a birthday party to attend and then might go downtown with friends. A few hours later, after the party, some friends and I decided to go late to the bon fire social. I didn't even think Andrew would be there but he was. We soon were talking away not even paying any attention to the singing around us. Andrew even pulled a hay bale over for me to sit on with him. How romantic! After the bon fire I invited some people to my house to play games. Andrew needed a phone number "in case he got lost on the way" so I gladly gave him mine. Once at my house we played games until after midnight and Andrew was the last person to leave. Before he left I invited him to play volleyball with a few friends the next day. After that he started calling me and the rest is history.


Riding an Elephant in Cambodia

Dating

(Andrew) After hanging out for about a month we officially started dating on May 13, 2005 during a weekend backpacking trip with friends. For the next year and a half we got to know each other better and enjoyed many fun activities together including plays, concerts, volleyball, hiking, camping, backpacking, snow skiing and rafting. In July of 2005 I joined Brenda for a family vacation in Washington state and got acquainted with her parents.

(Brenda) Over time we took many trips including visits to Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, North Carolina, Florida, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, Oregon, Missouri, Ohio, Massachusetts, Alabama and Georgia. I've always enjoyed traveling and was glad to have finally found a traveling buddy. Christmas of 2005 I spent two weeks with Andrew's family and enjoyed getting to know them all.

Engagement

(Andrew) On the morning of Monday, December 18 2006 we were up early to take Braden, Johanna & Keenan to the Seattle airport after a fun weekend together. After dropping them off Brenda and I drove into Seattle and went to the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at the Pacific Science Center. The exhibit was very well done and we spent over 2 hours going through it. Next we got some lunch before checking out the rest of the museum. Towards the end of the afternoon we watched the movie Happy Feet in one of the museum's IMAX theaters. I had only told Brenda that we would be going some place nice for supper but she didn't know where or what exactly we were doing.


Newly Engaged at the Top of the Space Needle

(Brenda) Earlier that morning I had commented about the Space Needle restaurant and how I would like to eat there some day. Andrew responded by telling me about the time he ate in a similar restaurant at the CN tower in Toronto. Since he told me about his experience it made me think that we would not be eating there. After the movie let out we walked towards the Space Needle and when we turned into the entrance I got really excited and got excited again when I heard that we had reservations for the restaurant. The whole day I wondered if something special was going to happen that night but decided not to get my hopes up.

(Andrew) Our meal at the Space Needle included grilled Portobello mushrooms, a spinach mushroom side dish, and a salad made with apples, leafy greens, blue cheese and huckleberry vinaigrette dressing. For dessert Brenda got blackberry, raspberry & mango sorbet which was served in a dish suspended over dry ice. I enjoyed an apple cranberry crisp for my dessert. During our meal the restaurant revolved about 2 times and it was a clear night so we enjoyed an amazing view in all directions. After dinner we walked upstairs to the observation deck.

(Brenda) We walked around outside some but it was pretty cold so we mostly stayed inside. After walking around for a while we stopped to admire the view and I remarked that it was very romantic.

(Andrew) I then said that I knew a way to make it more romantic, but then we walked around a bit more as I was hoping to find just the right moment without too many people around. Finally the time was right and I got down on one knee.

(Brenda) I got very excited and hurried to kneel down and join him because I wanted to be closer to him!

(Andrew) After a minute she stood back up and I asked the question. She didn't say anything for a while so I asked again and then she said yes!