ANDREW & STEPHANIE WEDDING

OUR STORY

As many of you know, Stephanie and I met on an unassuming cabin trip in Mammoth, California 4 years ago. Steph was dragged onto that trip by her roommate (Jessica Cha) while I was persuaded by my shred-bro (Edwin Mendaros) to stow away in his car. I still remember the moment Stephanie beamed into the cabin out of that dark night. Her big, fun, vibrant personality made the whole cabin feel like Christmas Eve. Even her smile and eyes seemed to twinkle with every passing joke and story. I couldn't believe a girl like this was just here, right in front of my eyes, trapped in a cabin with me! After we all talked for 15 minutes, I knew exactly what I had to do... I ran upstairs, did 45 push ups, and changed into my loosest fitting tank top. Suffice it to say, there was a lot of lifting, stretching, and pointing at things that weekend. Nevertheless, even though Stephanie was completely distracted by my triceps, she still exuded an air of joy and playfulness that completely charmed me. I think many of Steph's friends can attest to the infectious joy they feel when they're around her. However, that lightheartedness was put to the test on the last day of snowboarding when Steph had a hard fall on the mountain. Thank God she was okay. But as soon as I heard she hit her head, I knew this was my shot! We started talking, and a few days later I asked her out to our first date at Manuela's in Arts District. We still eat there every year.

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That is the true story of how we met that we enjoy telling at parties and dinners. But the deeper reason how and why we met is almost simple. For many years, I prayed to find a godly woman that was joyful and kind. While not completely sincere in my prayer, God saw the heart of my request. But He also saw my pride, independence, and distance, and sent me a person that has opened me up to new dimensional hues I had never seen. God has been a part of our courtship since our first date at Manuela and He has continued to heal us when we hurt and fortify us when we struggle.