Every story has a beginning, and ours began with a quite literal BANG.

About 4 years ago, Sophia had moved to Birmingham to pursue a degree in Genetic and Genomic sciences at UAB. Being the bubbly and outgoing person she is, she immersed herself into the on campus catholic community. There, she met the Yaeger family and became good friends with one of the older boys, Christopher. Unbeknownst to her, he was a childhood friend of Nathan.

While the excitement of college was happening for Sophia, Nathan was getting himself used to his job in Law enforcement. At the time, he was working at UAB on the night shift and so had little time to hangout with friends except on his off days. There were, however, a few activities for which he would pour himself a 3rd cup of coffee and then venture out into the world.

One such activity, if you haven't already guessed, was the recreational enjoyment of firing projectiles at paper, locally known as “shooting.” Coincidentally, this was also a new passion for Sophia. So when Christopher asked if she would like to go with him and a “friend” she agreed only to have a bedraggled, according to Sophia, “ruggedly handsome” Nathan showed up. And this dear reader is how our couple first met.

Over the next year, Sophia and Nathan would see eachother off and on again, thanks in large to the friendship between Sophia and Grace Gagnon. A culminating point in their friendship was when Sophia asked Nathan if he would be her plus one for a wedding in Mobile. Sweetening the deal, some might say bribing, by the prospect of a rehearsal dinner on a river boat.

Nathan, at the time for reasons outside his comprehension, agreed to this endeavor. And so an exciting adventure began filled with interstate sign climbing, cheese cake, mini golf, dancing, and Lamberts throwed rolls, punctuated on both ends by 4 hour car rides. This ensued and solidified a friendship that would be life long.

This friendship would deepen further throughout the next months with many highs (one phenomenal trip to a pumpkin patch) and two distinct, uh… speedbumps, and one final booze hike at Moss Rock Preserve, which brings them to where we they are today with Nathan having got down on one knee to ask Sophia for her hand in marriage.

Now they have a house that they want to make into a home and grow old together after they say “I do!”