Madee ~

Lucas and I met at WSU when I was a freshman and he was a junior. We spent that summer in San Diego on a trip with our church where he was my leader. Originally thinking Lucas was a typical frat Chad, I learned lots of great things about him during those ten weeks and was pleasantly surprised. Lucas is funny, loves to surf, is a social butterfly, a natural born leader, has a servant’s heart and is tenacious. Most highlighted was his infectious attitude, passion, and love for Christ. As anyone would, I had a born affinity for this man. Being similar in personality, we became quick friends! There was no romantic thought whatsoever that went through my head at this time except maybe for a brief moment when he shared with a group of us his “type”… a blonde haired, blue eyed, athletic, Jesus-loving girl. Interesting, I thought.

I love thinking back through the six years Lucas and I have been friends. We grew a little bit closer each year through college. I knew we would be friends forever, but it took me a long time to truly straighten out my deeper feelings for him. I used to tell people that I wanted to marry someone LIKE Lucas. My girlfriends will say that they have always predicted this wedding from the start. When I graduated and moved to Seattle two years ago, I began to have thoughts that maybe dating and marriage would be more ideal with your best friend. We were spending pretty much every day together at this point and it felt like a risk worth exploring. I learned Lucas was thinking the same and we decided to trust the Lord together and go for it. Turns out, it was the best decision we could have made!

Our relationship has been filled with delight and adventure, but there has also been moments of challenge, failure, and forgiveness too. We have learned to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and constant in prayer. The Lord has been so faithful and near to us during it all. There is an unwavering confidence in my yes to marry Lucas because he loves the Lord so devotedly. I praise Jesus for how deeply I love this man. I trust that our marriage will last because our eyes are fixed on something so much greater than ourselves. I can’t wait to marry my best friend and the best role model of faith I’ve ever known.

Lucas -

As Madee mentioned above we met during our time living in San Diego. What a cool place to initially meet! When I first met Madee we quickly became good friends, however, she was a freshmen in college and I was about to be a senior so there was no initial thought about dating. That summer though we spent a lot of time together (all in group settings of course) and had a blast getting to know each other. After that year I took a job with the Navigators and left Pullman yet there was something that I couldn't quite leave behind... Madee. She would tell you "you texted me SO much after you moved." I don't fully recall but you get the point, I didn't quite leave her behind. I remember every time I would visit Pullman, Madee was on the short list of people I wanted to see. I even remember my parents asking if there was "anyone" and in the back of my mind I thought "if Madee was ever in Seattle I think it could be awesome!" And of course she did move to Seattle! With my help, we found her a spot a whole 15ft from where I was living! HAHA! Strategic? Yes. When Madee moved in we resumed our friendship quickly and within a month she asked "so are we just friends or?" The golden question. So I told her my intentions and celebrated our first date with some QFC sushi. Very romantic. But that sums us up. Great friends who genuinely enjoying being together, doing stuff together and life with Madee is just flat out BETTER. I can't imagine life without her in it. She is gentle, kind, cute, godly, forgiving and the best woman I could have imagined God bringing into my life. Madee is loved by everyone and I still remember after only a few months of dating my good friend Anna pulled me aside and said "it's time to buy a ring."