(as told by him)
It was December 8th, 2010 and LifeBridge Church was hosting a chili cook-off adoption fund raiser at the Hoffman's house. Amberly had just moved back to Clearwater and went to church that past Sunday. She heard about the chili cook-off and bravely came out, knowing nobody.
It was a busy night, but as the night went on, I had taken notice of her and we had a few conversations. As the night was growing long, the event was done and most had gone home, but a few of us, including Amberly and I, stayed and talked about an array of things, from life plans to a mutual love of pixar films. We left with a new friendship. For the rest of December we would talk most times after church and at Chili's.
The next church event was on December 31st 2010: a New Years Eve party. This was the event that changed the course and way I thought about our relationship. We spent much of the night talking and getting to know each other. By the end of the night I arranged for a group to go to the movies the following day, to continue the momentum I felt we were gaining.
To my surprise, Amberly and I with only one other couple actually came out to the movies, which provided a great way to get to be with her. Even though we were not on a date, it had the feel of a double date. I failed to get her number that day, but the following day, after church a group went to Chili's restaurant and after I asked for her number. As happy as I could be, I walked away with a big smile on my face. That week was a busy week texting back and forth.
On January 8th, 2011, just one week after getting her number was our first date. As nervous as could be, I took her out to a nice dinner and then went to John's Pass to walk around for the rest of the evening. We had a chance to pray together, learn more about each other and talk about what church meant to us. The rest is history...
(as told by her)
I didn't want to move back to Clearwater, I had fallen in love with St. Augustine. My community group at Coquina Community Church was helping me find a church back home and found Lifebridge Church for me. We looked it up online and it was 3 miles from my house and that it was a new church plant. I moved home on a Friday; that Sunday I attended Lifebridge for the first time. My mom went with me because the area was shady and the building had another business' name on it. She wanted to make sure it was a legit church. We got there late and we didn't stay to talk to anyone after but I knew that night that it was where I was supposed to be; I couldn't explain it. I noticed Eric playing the bass that night. I filled out a visitor card and turned it in.
The next week Barbara called to invite me to her community group and the chili cook-off as an adoption fundraiser. It was December 8th, the parking was packed and I almost turned around to go home; I was scared. As I walked up to the house, I noticed there were a lot of people out in the driveway and I didn't know anyone. Then I saw two girls (Naomi and Jewel) who looked like they didn't know anyone (they were new too) so I started talking to them. People introduced themselves to us and by the time I left I talked to almost everyone there. Everyone was genuinely so nice and wanted to get to know me. As the night got later and people started to leave there were 5 of us left (Claire, Joe Popp, Eric, Barbara and myself) talking around the bonfire. Eric and I started our friendship and I just kept thinking. "You just moved here, you just moved here, don't even think about it. You're starting school, you're trying to find a job, you just moved here." haha.
At the time, church met in the evening and some people went to Chili's after the service. I kept seeing Eric there and we would always talk. We would talk about Mexico and Guatemala where we have been on mission trips and all kinds of stuff. We really hit it off...
Then came the New Years Eve party. Through our conversations and seeing his interactions outside of church, I started to wonder "is Eric just a really nice guy or is he interested in me?" He set up a group outing with about 8 people to go see the new Narnia movie. Only 1 couple showed up besides us. He offered to pay for my ticket, but I wouldn't let him. The following night at Chili's Eric asked for my number (and I was sooo excited)! That Wednesday, he asked me on a date for Saturday, January 8th.
Eric brought me flowers when he came to pick me up and meet my parents. He took me to a nice restaurant where we were both nervous that we talked so much and we ate very little. Next, we went down to John's Pass, it's a touristy place down by the beach that has a long boardwalk. He told me he brought me there so that we could keep talking and pray together. We stayed out there for almost 2 hours and it was cold out!
We haven't gone a day without talking since he got my number. Our longest phone conversation was over 3 hours. The longest we have been apart is 5 days. On June 11th at the beach, near John's Pass, Eric proposed and I said YES!
The Proposal
(as told by him)
June 10th, 2011, I remember it as a very busy day. I got out of work at 5 and raced down to the jewelers shop to pick up the engagement ring. I had to pick it up right after work before Amberly got off work and started wondering where I was, and before Saturday when I go to ask her parents for their blessing. All went well, I was able to pull it off.
June 11, 2011, first thing in the morning I am sitting in a CVS parking lot, waiting for her parents to let me know Amberly was gone. She had to take some tests that day, which gave me the opportunity to meet with her parents without her knowing. I had a great conversation with them, and was given the blessing to ask her daughter in marriage. I had a few different plans to ask her, depending on the timing, but by the time I was done talking to her parents I decided I wanted to ask her that day. This would be a very busy day.
I immediately got on the phone with a couple of the ladies from church, Barbara and Erica, to help with the details. I was hoping to see the sun set with Amberly that day on the beach, but now it was going to be a bit more. I went down to the beach across from John's pass, where I had taken her on our first date, and scoped out my plan. By this time Amberly was getting out of her tests, so I had to hurry up on my end and trust all the details to work out.
Late in the afternoon, Amberly and I went to the beach to hang out. When we got there I quickly realized there was a wedding going on right next to where I had my plans. This was like a fire alarm going off, but I had to play it off so Amberly wouldn't suspect anything. We took a walk down the beach, and I had messaged the ladies on my phone. While we were walking, our parents, friends and relatives came on the beach, setup a table with a candle, flowers, a picture of us and some finger food. They had messaged my when they were done and hid themselves. We turned around and started heading back.
On the way back the sun was setting and Amberly wanted to get a picture, but I had to convince her to keep going, because if we got back in time we would have dozens of pictures, I just couldn't tell her that. Luckily the wedding had ended and mostly moved off the beach when we walked up to the table. I dropped on one knee, asked her to marry me and she said yes!!! At this point I had heard the cameras snap about 50 pictures, so I yelled out to everybody come out. We all celebrated there on the beach.
The day ended like the first date, walking around on Jon's Pass.
Click here for a larger view of the pictures
Our Future
While we can't say exactly how the future will go, I figured I can at least share some of our plans/thoughts.
I (Eric) am working to become a church planter through Acts 29, a church planting network and our church. I am hoping to plant a new church in a few years in St. Pete.
While I (Amberly), enjoy my preschool job, am hoping to use my degree to get a teaching position. I am also excited to see how God leads us in planting a church.
We hope in a couple of years to have a few dozen children...or maybe a couple of children. We also can't wait to grow old together and enjoy a life of love, struggles and most importantly, dependence on God.