Adam and Alicia grew-up 7 houses away from one another when Adam's family moved to the neighborhood in 1989. Originally, they met in middle school when Alicia, an 8th grader, was keeping the books for the 7/8th grade basketball team and Adam was a 7th grade All-Star on the team. In 1997, Alicia asked Adam to go to her junior prom as friends. He said yes. It was a memorable night that they still chuckle about to this day. Then, they both had life happen. In 2022, they reconnected when Alicia was looking for a General Contractor and reached out from there. They spent an evening together hanging out and having fun. There was something magical in the air that night when both of them realized there was a special connection taking place. (Ask Martin Firestone about that night!) Then Alicia went back home to Detroit. But the connection was never ending and a relationship grew from it.

One of our favorite things to do is to go out for local hikes. Adam was very insistent that we were still going to take a spring hike even though he had twisted his ankle twice in the same week. Alicia insisted that we go to Asbury Woods because she had just been to Wintergreen Gorge and there were many logs blocking the trail, or downtown because of some new developments. Adam insisted going to Wintergreen Gorge, but eventually gave into going to Asbury Woods. This is how Alicia messed up the engagement plans. After hiking for a while, Adam wanted to take a rest on a bench and Alicia just stood there thinking his ankle was hurting, and she had been right that hiking was a terrible idea. That's when Adam proposed, Alicia said Yes and they continued to hike. As they were leaving, they were walking across a raised boardwalk in which Adam stepped on a loose plank that popped up, tripping Alicia and sending her flying on her face. The ring stayed on, but Alicia's knee still has a scar and her hand was bruised for weeks. The end was fitting as it was typical us. We're so excited to celebrate this next chapter in our lives with you. See you over Labor Day in Erie, Pa!