We were introduced through our mutual friend Ashley Cochran (Carriker) online through a Zoom Bible study when the pandemic first hit. Ashley tried to have us meet before the pandemic but finally brought us together via our Bible study group on zoom. After a few weeks of Zoom game nights with the group, I finally mustered the courage to send Adri a direct message through Facebook. This led to three dates over Zoom, the first of which Adri did not realize was a date, and then to finally meeting in person on May first (breaking quarantine).

Our journey to the proposal began after I decided to take Adri to Arden Jewelers, where she designed her own engagement and wedding rings. Initially, I only intended to introduce her to my friend who owned the shop and get her ring size, but the visit led me to reveal the rough timeline of when I was planning to propose. I told her I wanted to experience Christmas and our birthdays together first, to keep our proposal day special, and that a proposal could occur in late January or early February. I chose Calaveras Big Trees because it has always been one of Adri's favorite places to visit. I asked my good friend Geoff and his wife, Julie, to be part of the proposal to disguise it as a double date. Geoff took pictures as he is a photographer, and Julie helped coordinate our parents' arrival at the state park ahead of us. Thankfully, all went according to plan, and I proposed to her on the giant tree stump. She was extremely surprised! She did end up saying, "Yes!" when I asked her to marry me, and we went to a fun surprise engagement party I had planned for us later that night.