While we have known each other for almost three years through church, it's been brought to our attention that many of our friends and family don't know much about us as a couple. Especially since we haven't dated for a long time it makes sense to post a little bit about ourselves and how we got here. Leah Leah P. McCann was born on the Washington peninsula, in the small logging town of Forks. Being born into a multi-generation logging family, she was raised in the timber communities of Forks and Rowan Bay, Alaska. Her father, Mark, is a hand-faller in the logging industry, and her mother, Kathy, is in charge of discipline at Forks Elementary School. She has an older brother, Owen, and a younger sister, Raven. At a young age, Leah showed a love for books and school. After having read most books within a 30 mile radius of home, she attended the University of Washington, where she obtained an undergraduate degree in the Comparative History of Ideas (CHID) program. Currently, she is completing her Masters of Divinity degree (MDiv) at Seattle University. She is also a pastor at Quest Church in Seattle, where she focuses on leading the church's Global Presence (international missions) ministry. Leah also helped the church start the non-profit cafe "Q", where she served as cafe manager and arts and music coordinator before returning to school. Leah loves reading, writing, music, ministry, cooking, coffee, friends, learning to jog, spicy food, and imagining where life might lead in the coming years. Alan Alan R. Klug was born near Seattle, and grew up in Bellevue, where he attended and graduated from Bellevue High School. Growing up, he too was heavily involved in school, especially in music, and sports, most often baseball. He grew up attending Newport Covenant Church, where his mother, Mary, is the longtime Pastor to Children and Families. Following his parents, especially his father, Malcolm, an engineer in telecommunications, he attended Stanford University, where he received bachelors and masters degrees in Aeronautical Engineering. Upon graduation, he returned to the Seattle area, began analyzing and designing airplanes and modifications for Analytical Methods Inc, and started attending Quest Church, where he met Leah. A year ago he moved to Seattle proper, near the University of Washington. He still loves music, races bicycles and is heavily involved in a number of ways at church. He shares Leah's love for food, most especially chocolate. How They Met Although we met in July of 2004, we didn't begin dating until this past fall. What changed? A lot... We've both done a lot of growing up over the past three years that has brought us to a place where we could have a relationship. Over the past year we've spent a lot of time together in Leadership Team meetings at church, and jointly leading a young adults ministry for our church. Having had an opportunity to get to know each other beyond the basics proved to be the basis for Alan asking Leah out. She said yes, and since then, we've been having a great time in each others company, cooking, listening to music and growing together. Even after just a few months of dating, the decision to get engaged was easy because for both of us, this relationship has had so many different edifying qualities we haven't experienced previously. Sometimes, you just know.