They met on Hinge, but what’s crazy is they had way more in common than they realized. They both went to UW–Madison and even knew some of the same people. Emiko was in Posse, and Adum was technically a proud “Posse Plus” member because he got invited to a retreat. Even though she graduated two years after him, it’s honestly wild they never crossed paths in college. Looking back, they’re pretty sure that was God’s intervention… because they both definitely weren’t ready back then. When they finally met in person, Adum was excited but cautious, and not totally sure what to make of the feeling he had. Emiko almost cancelled but decided to go anyway, fully planning on it being just one date. Instead, they hit it off right away with great conversation, lots of laughing, and a night spent enjoying the karaoke performances at Brando’s Speakeasy. In the beginning, it was early morning workouts, long walks around the Northside, and trying different coffee shops. Then a road trip to Nashville kick-started their adventure. After that came even more trips to places like Portugal, Germany, New Orleans, the Dominican Republic, and Hawaii. Somewhere along the way, Emiko taught Adum how to play beach volleyball (twos, to be exact), and they started playing together, which was a big step because the volleyball community in Chicago isn’t always the most welcoming. Emiko also put Adum on to a few of her favorite things, like salsa dancing (she already knew what she was doing) and making sushi at home. Adum taught Emiko just as much. He showed her how to slow down and be present, to pause, process what she’s feeling, and actually enjoy the moment instead of rushing to the next thing. He taught her the value of introspection, of sitting with her thoughts, and reflecting before reacting. With Adum's love and support, she found a steadiness that helped her grow and become more in tune with herself. With all the trips, laughs, and deep conversations, things became clearer. And after finally breaking through his analysis paralysis, Adum asked Emiko to marry him. They’re excited to take this next step in their lives and can’t wait to celebrate this milestone with their favorite people.