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Mary Hall

©2015

readiingAdam and Amanda
Love Story
August 1st, 2015

We’ve all gathered here today for one very good reason—to celebrate the commitment and the love that brought these two together. But just as different as any two people are, so is the road they have traveled to arrive here. Many of you have not been at their side for much of that adventure, so let’s look back and take a stroll down that path with them today. For Adam and Amanda, this is the journey of their Love Story…

It all started with a baseball game. The Carlton Bulldog boys baseball and girls softball team were at an away game up in Chisholm. As the girls finished up their softball game, they figured that they might as well have a seat and watch the rest of the boys JV baseball game. After all, both teams shared an away bus, so they were stuck there anyways!

When Amanda and her friends got to the field, some of the older softball girls were already sitting in the bleachers next to the baseball boys, so they decided to go and sit next to them too. After a while, she decided to get some snacks at the concession stand.

Little did she know, she had caught the attention of one of the varsity players. In the midst of laughing and talking with his friends, Adam had noticed out of the corner of his eye one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever seen. So beautiful, in fact, that he had to do a double-take to believe what he was seeing!
Not knowing the psychology behind how a cluster of teenage girls worked, poor Adam asked a simple, yet very honest question of the two softball girls he had been sitting with. “Who IS that girl? She’s HOT!”

Not wasting any time, Anna and Courtney jumped up with huge grins on their faces to inform Amanda what had just been said about her… by an upperclassman, no less. As Amanda walked back, the two girls ran up to her, pointed at Adam and gushed, “That guy over there thinks you’re hot!” Looking over at Adam, she saw a very clearly embarrassed boy who wished that he had kept his mouth shut. He was so embarrassed, in fact, that he refused to make eye contact with her or speak a single word to her for the rest of the night. Unfortunately for him, the girls decided to park themselves in the bleachers directly behind him for the rest of the game.

Luckily for our story, Adam’s friends later egged him on to talk to her, and he finally built up the courage to talk to her… over AOL Instant Messenger.

Soon, Adam asked for her phone number and they graduated from typing to talking on the phone, and eventually actually speaking face to face. While neither one can quite remember what their first official date was like—most likely dinner and a movie—they both can fondly recall often hanging out in Amanda’s yard on a huge rock. After all, it was discovered that Adam was 16 at the time—a whopping two years older than her! In teenager terms, they might as well have been light years apart! With the age difference looming, her protective mother didn’t want Amanda going too far from the house until she got to know this boy a little better.

It was in this yard that their love truly began to blossom. Sitting on the rock, they could talk, laugh, and “sword fight” for hours. (You see, Adam and Amanda would scavenge the yard with whatever they could find to hit each other with… that was their way of flirting with each other). They have both said that those first moments were far better than any cheesy movie date could have ever offered. On a stormy day that June, Adam brought her under the tree in her yard and asked her if she would like to be his girlfriend.

As they began to grow closer, thoughts of a first kiss began to loom. Some… were trying much harder than others to make this happen. The first time that Adam had attempted to kiss her, they were at Adam’s cousin’s house with some friends. Coming up with a “fool proof” plan to get that first sweet kiss, he had hidden Amanda’s phone in his cousin’s room. Being the good guy he was, Adam diligently helped her look for the phone for about five minutes before revealing that he knew where the phone was… but she could only have it back if he got a kiss for a reward. As they locked eyes, Adam pulled her in close, and just as he was about to go for it… Amanda grabbed the phone out of his hand, spun around, and left the room grinning.

Awhile later, Adam came up with another plan. One night, they were hanging out at Adam’s parents’ house with his cousin and were getting ready to leave. “It’s now or never,” he told himself. As Amanda walked outside ahead of him, he gently grabbed her arm, turned her around and just leaned in and went for it. Thinking about all the times before that she had let him strike out and surprised at how smooth this particular transaction had been, Amanda finally caved and gave in to the moment. Neither can remember just how long that first kiss lasted, but both can recall the jolt of electricity that sparked such a magical moment for them when it happened.

In getting to know each other, Adam and Amanda discovered that they both had one deeply personal thing in common: they had both experienced the recent significant loss of an immediate family member. They had found each other at such incredibly difficult times in their life—Amanda having lost her father, Scott, just a year before meeting Adam, and Adam having lost his older sister April just a few weeks after. It was through these terribly raw times in their lives that they were able to help each other. To lean on each other for support. To talk through those difficult emotions with someone that truly understood what the other person was going through. That heartache never truly goes away—time heals the wound well enough to be able to live with it. With each other, they were able to help the other one learn to heal and be a constant source of love and support.

But that wasn’t the only thing that they had taught each other. Adam has taught Amanda how to stick up for herself a little more (seeing as how she tends to make everyone else’s problems her problems; trying to help fix things for those she cares about). He has also taught her not to worry and stress so much about things. In fact, she says that he has helped her out with that quite a bit!

Amanda has taught Adam how to come out of his shell around people, to be more understanding, more forgiving, and not to hold any grudges… well, depending on the situation, of course! Lastly, he has Amanda to thank for introducing him to banana peppers. Before her, he had no idea what they were, let alone would he think of putting them on his sub sandwiches or other food… and now, he finds them quite delightful!

At first, it was difficult to see the long term future because of their ages… but as their love continued to be strengthened throughout the years, the thought of marriage began to pepper their thoughts. For Adam, he recalls that it really sunk in for him that he couldn’t picture his life without Amanda during an elk hunting trip in Wyoming with his Aunt Rita and Uncle Bill. In September of 2008, they took a week-long trip to celebrate Adam’s upcoming graduation. Given the geographical location of Wyoming, Adam had mountains to contend with when trying to contact his beloved back home. Anyone who has ever tried to make a phone call in a mountain range can understand his frustration and despair! Throughout this time, Adam had to endure a grueling two whole days without contacting Amanda. To make matters worse, the night before they were supposed to leave for home, they were hit with a snowstorm and had to stay an extra day… again, without cell phone reception!

A second separation trial in their relationship was just around the corner. In 2001, Amanda went on her senior class trip to Europe. Each day that she was gone, they were only able get a text out, or to speak briefly on the phone if they were lucky. The distance and the silence that was forced between them was enough to make one go mad! But it was a little while later that a roasted pig and a meteor shower helped play a hand at making sure that our star-crossed lovers would have distance sealed and their destiny intertwined.

It was one starry August night when Adam’s Uncle Tim and Aunt Colleen hosted a pig roast at their farm in Cambridge. Adam was talking on the phone to Amanda, whom he had been dating for a few years now. Admiring the meteor shower, Adam decided to make a wish. Looking at one particularly bright flash of light, he wished with all of his might that his deepest desire would come true. He had wished that someday, he would get to marry Amanda. Describing the meteor shower, he had informed Amanda that he had just made a wish on a star. An excited Amanda asked, “Well, what did you wish for?!” “I can’t tell you!” replied Adam, “Or it won’t come true!” He coyly dropped some hints as to what he may have been hoping for, but did not want to jinx himself for what was to come next. He couldn’t rely on a runaway star begin their future together… but they had already decided to finish school, first—Amanda was becoming a physical therapist assistant, and Adam was studying to become an RN. Then, it would be time to take matters into his own hands and start planning!

The first step, he thought, was to talk to his parents, Craig and Roxanne. He professed his love of her to them, and they proceeded to grill him on why he thought he was ready to do this. After a heartfelt explanation, they agreed and he set off to buy a ring. The next step was to contact Amanda’s mom, Anne. He sent her a text message asking, “Hey, are you free whenever? Can I stop by and talk to you about something?” Adam, a bundle of excited nerves, was trying to think of the best way to ask her blessing. Unbeknownst to him, she already knew EXACTLY what he was up to! You see, about a week before he asked, he had been at a bonfire with some friends. Amanda’s brother Jake also happened to be there. Feeling warm and fuzzy after a few beers, Adam excitedly told Jake, “Hey! Just to let you know… I’m going to propose to Amanda!” Jake just couldn’t keep the news to himself, and had already informed their mother. When he had gone over to Anne’s house, she excitedly asked him, “Oh, my gosh! Did you get a ring? Let me see the ring!”
Adam replied, “Before I let you see the ring… do I have your permission?” And of course, he did.

Before she knew Adam’s exact plans, an excited Anne would talk to her daughter on the phone a few times—Amanda couldn’t figure out why her mom had been acting so weird! Once, Anne nearly spilled the beans when she even asked, “So, did he do it yet?!” Confused, Amanda asked, “Do what?” Quickly, the subject was changed and Amanda was none the wiser.

As Sunday, June 15—their anniversary date—made its way closer, Adam knew that it would be the perfect date to propose. Only one problem stood in his way—he had to work on that day! But, it was no matter—they decided to celebrate on Friday instead. Adam now had the element of surprise in his pocket, as well as the ring. In fact, he had carefully chosen to wear a pair of baggy khaki cargo shorts to hide the ring in his side pocket. As they were debating what to do for their anniversary, they decided that they would go to the Streetcar to eat and see a movie. However, Adam knew that he couldn’t pop the question in public—that was Amanda’s one request when they had tossed the thought around before. He had a plan in place. The tree.
He would ask her to become his wife under the very same tree where he had asked her to be his girlfriend just eight years prior.

So, as the couple drove into Carlton, Adam said that he needed to stop at her mom’s to show her something. Thinking ahead, he had already informed family members of the exact date and time he planned on proposing, so as not to have an unexpected audience put any hiccups in his plans! As Amanda kept asking, “Where are you going? What are we doing?” Adam hushed her questions by saying, “Come on! I’ll show you! And did his best not to smile too much. (Adam tends to smile quite a bit when he’s nervous!) Hindsight is 20/20, but at the time, Amanda could not figure out why he was acting so weird and NERVOUS!

As they approached the tree, Adam grabbed Amanda by her waist in the same smooth fashion that won him their first kiss, and proceeded to tell her how much she meant to him, how much he loved her, and how he couldn’t bear the thought of not having her in his life. As he kept nervously professing his love to her, Amanda started to see where this might be headed, and started getting nervous and excited herself in anticipation. Then, on one knee, he asked her if she would do him the honor of becoming his wife. Of course, she bubbled out an excited, “YES!”

They both called family members to share the happy news, then went over to Subway in Cloquet to nibble on some subs (with banana peppers, mind you) and later went to a barbeque that Amanda’s mom had planned in celebration of their upcoming nuptials.

When asked what makes Adam “the one” for her, Amanda says, Adam is the perfect person for me because he makes me so, so happy. I can't stress enough how happy he makes me. He really has his stuff together and he is the most hardworking guy I've ever met. I knew he was the one I wanted to marry because he makes me happy... so incredibly happy, every single day. It's crazy, but that feeling seems to increase every single day throughout the eight years we've been together. I couldn't imagine my life without him. He makes me laugh constantly.... I feel so comfortable with him. I'm not scared to tell him anything. We trust each other. He has the kindest heart and is so passionate about everything he does. He respects me and is just in general such a good person. I love him so much...and I know where ever we go or end up in this life, I'll always be home as long as I'm with him.”

When asked what makes Amanda the perfect woman for him, Adam says, “Amanda is perfect for me because she is such a beautiful woman, inside and out. She has a kind heart and so much love to give.  I can come to her with all of my problems and she knows exactly what to say when I need it most. She is perfect for me because we can compromise and work things through together; even if we do get a bit crabby at each other, we always work things out. Amanda is perfect for me because she has a sense of humor, she is compassionate, she is fun to be with, she trustworthy and she trusts me, she is honest, she is supportive, she motivates me, she makes me feel complete, she likes hanging out with my friends and family, and one of the most important reasons she is perfect for me is because my life is better when she is around. She is perfect for me because we can be ourselves around each other and she accepts my imperfections and who I am overall. She is perfect for me because she gives me my space when I need it; we value each other’s time together but have a mutual understanding that having time to ourselves is also important. She is perfect for me because she makes me happy, she makes me smile, laugh, and she makes me feel loved. She makes me feel like I am the most important person in her life, she makes me feel like no one else has had ever made me feel. She is perfect for me because we share similar values and beliefs in life. She is perfect for me because she wants to have a family, like me.” So, here we are, celebrating the union of their love and lives. Celebrating the friendship that will craft an amazing marriage. They are here tonight with you, their dearest family and friends, creating wonderful memories leading them into the next chapter of their Love Story…