Avery & Josias

January 23, 2027 • San Jose, CA
76 Days To Go!

Avery & Josias

January 23, 2027 • San Jose, CA
76 Days To Go!

Our Photo Story

January 9, 2025 — First Introduction

Our first official introduction in the church office, thanks to Shinai! Nothing crazy happened, but apparently it was important enough to end up here. (Except for the backpack…Thanks Karla!)


February 9, 2025 — Super Bowl Party

Super Bowl party and, most importantly, our first hug! Very exciting stuff for two people who were definitely not dating yet.


Foundry Young Adults Retreat, aka the beginning of us “observing each other.” We were both interested, both paying attention, and both trying to figure out what exactly was going on.

February 21, 2025

Foundry Young Adults Retreat, aka the beginning of us “observing each other.” We were both interested, both paying attention, and both trying to figure out what exactly was going on.
Avery dropped off eggs and Trader Joe’s lentil soup for Josias at church. Very romantic beginnings over here.

February 25, 2025

Avery dropped off eggs and Trader Joe’s lentil soup for Josias at church. Very romantic beginnings over here.
Our first Dunkin’ date and “check-in,” mutually initiated because we both wanted some clarity and direction about what we were doing. Lots of talking, lots of questions, and the beginning of being really intentional about getting to know each other.

February 27, 2025

Our first Dunkin’ date and “check-in,” mutually initiated because we both wanted some clarity and direction about what we were doing. Lots of talking, lots of questions, and the beginning of being really intentional about getting to know each other.
Back to Dunkin’ for date number two! Apparently Dunkin’ was quickly becoming our place. More chai (our favorite!), more questions, and more time getting to know each other.

March 10, 2025

Back to Dunkin’ for date number two! Apparently Dunkin’ was quickly becoming our place. More chai (our favorite!), more questions, and more time getting to know each other.
A birthday trip to 17-Mile Drive with the Munguias! One of our first bigger outings together and a fun day full of laughs with family (and plenty of awkward moments.)

March 22, 2025

A birthday trip to 17-Mile Drive with the Munguias! One of our first bigger outings together and a fun day full of laughs with family (and plenty of awkward moments.)
A Yosemite day trip with Steph, Sam, Alex, and Shinai! Lots of driving, beautiful views, friends, conversations and fun memories...

May 26, 2025

A Yosemite day trip with Steph, Sam, Alex, and Shinai! Lots of driving, beautiful views, friends, conversations and fun memories...
The end of our three-month intentional getting-to-know-each-other period. Another long conversation about us, what we had learned, and where we wanted things to go.

July 07, 2025

The end of our three-month intentional getting-to-know-each-other period. Another long conversation about us, what we had learned, and where we wanted things to go.
Josias planned the sweetest scavenger hunt through places that had already become part of our story. There were handwritten letters, a surprise from Avery’s brother, Dunkin’, Pastor Mark’s house, and finally Josias waiting with flowers and a hug. We ended the night eating at Suspiro and finally got to call each other boyfriend and girlfriend!

July 15, 2025

Josias planned the sweetest scavenger hunt through places that had already become part of our story. There were handwritten letters, a surprise from Avery’s brother, Dunkin’, Pastor Mark’s house, and finally Josias waiting with flowers and a hug. We ended the night eating at Suspiro and finally got to call each other boyfriend and girlfriend!
Backyard dancing at the Nunes’! One of those random summer nights that ended up becoming a sweet little memory.

July 19, 2025

Backyard dancing at the Nunes’! One of those random summer nights that ended up becoming a sweet little memory.
Family Camp in Tahoe! Church family, beautiful Tahoe, lots of time together, and getting to experience more of normal life and ministry alongside each other.

July 21, 2025

Family Camp in Tahoe! Church family, beautiful Tahoe, lots of time together, and getting to experience more of normal life and ministry alongside each other.
Bowling with the Lariz family, Uncle Marc, and Aunt Tammy. More family, more friends, and both of us being way too competitive.

July 29, 2025

Bowling with the Lariz family, Uncle Marc, and Aunt Tammy. More family, more friends, and both of us being way too competitive.
A video call with Raquel, Vicki, and Alfredo — Avery officially getting to meet some of Josias’ family! A little nerve-racking, very sweet, and another step in bringing our two worlds together.

August 01, 2025

A video call with Raquel, Vicki, and Alfredo — Avery officially getting to meet some of Josias’ family! A little nerve-racking, very sweet, and another step in bringing our two worlds together.
Josias met Avery’s family while we explored Carmel and spent the day at the beach. Lots of laughs, beautiful views, and plenty of interrogation. He survived :)

August 15, 2025

Josias met Avery’s family while we explored Carmel and spent the day at the beach. Lots of laughs, beautiful views, and plenty of interrogation. He survived :)
Josias came with Avery to Beverly Hills for a medical treatment. Definitely not our most exciting “date,” but probably one of the more meaningful ones. Josias was a sweet comfort and strength through a hard day and made it all feel a whole lot less scary.

August 29, 2025

Josias came with Avery to Beverly Hills for a medical treatment. Definitely not our most exciting “date,” but probably one of the more meaningful ones. Josias was a sweet comfort and strength through a hard day and made it all feel a whole lot less scary.
We painted a mug together at Color Me Mine and learned something very important about our future marriage: we are both extremely opinionated and inflexible. The mug turned out great (though Avery forgot to pick it up — thanks, Josias, for being the one who remembers these things...) and we both survived our first time “working as a team.”

September 01, 2025

We painted a mug together at Color Me Mine and learned something very important about our future marriage: we are both extremely opinionated and inflexible. The mug turned out great (though Avery forgot to pick it up — thanks, Josias, for being the one who remembers these things...) and we both survived our first time “working as a team.”
We attended our first wedding together! So fun getting dressed up, celebrating friends, and experiencing our first wedding side by side while dating.

September 12, 2025

We attended our first wedding together! So fun getting dressed up, celebrating friends, and experiencing our first wedding side by side while dating.
A beach date in Capitola followed by a game Avery made for us to get to know each other better. A very “us” combination of something fun followed by lots of questions and a deep conversation.

September 13, 2025

A beach date in Capitola followed by a game Avery made for us to get to know each other better. A very “us” combination of something fun followed by lots of questions and a deep conversation.
Our pumpkin patch date! Pumpkins, fall weather, pictures, and an excuse for a cute fall date together.

October 11, 2025

Our pumpkin patch date! Pumpkins, fall weather, pictures, and an excuse for a cute fall date together.
A day at Apple Hill where we bumped into Avery’s childhood friends, the Fong family. Apple everything, beautiful fall weather, and also the first time Josias met Kyle (Avery's dad)!

October 18, 2025

A day at Apple Hill where we bumped into Avery’s childhood friends, the Fong family. Apple everything, beautiful fall weather, and also the first time Josias met Kyle (Avery's dad)!
A day trip to San Juan Bautista with lots of exploring, walking around, laughing, followed by delicious food. Just a really fun day together.

November 22, 2025

A day trip to San Juan Bautista with lots of exploring, walking around, laughing, followed by delicious food. Just a really fun day together.
Josias’ official initiation into the Middleton craziness! We traveled to Oregon for Thanksgiving and packed in shooting, family photos, lots of family time, and the official kickoff to Christmas. He got the full experience.

November 27, 2025

Josias’ official initiation into the Middleton craziness! We traveled to Oregon for Thanksgiving and packed in shooting, family photos, lots of family time, and the official kickoff to Christmas. He got the full experience.
Our first Hillside Christmas Concert together! Avery sang a solo and Josias served. We loved getting to be part of the same special weekend at church in completely different ways.

December 07, 2025

Our first Hillside Christmas Concert together! Avery sang a solo and Josias served. We loved getting to be part of the same special weekend at church in completely different ways.
Christmas breakfast at Kelly’s (a sweet friend), then we opened gifts at a coffee shop while playing Jenga and finished the day with dinner at Marilyn’s — Avery’s counselor and honorary San Jose grandma. A slightly random but very sweet first Christmas together.

December 25, 2025

Christmas breakfast at Kelly’s (a sweet friend), then we opened gifts at a coffee shop while playing Jenga and finished the day with dinner at Marilyn’s — Avery’s counselor and honorary San Jose grandma. A slightly random but very sweet first Christmas together.
Josias came along for Avery’s second medical treatment and was, once again, the best support. Then we spent a week apart afterward, which meant lots and lots of FaceTimes.

January 02, 2026

Josias came along for Avery’s second medical treatment and was, once again, the best support. Then we spent a week apart afterward, which meant lots and lots of FaceTimes.
A trip to Shasta with Vicky and Alfredo! We made pupusas (for the first time!), cooked together, hiked, talked, relaxed, and had lots of time to just hang out. Cozy, simple, and such a sweet trip.

January 23, 2026

A trip to Shasta with Vicky and Alfredo! We made pupusas (for the first time!), cooked together, hiked, talked, relaxed, and had lots of time to just hang out. Cozy, simple, and such a sweet trip.
Our first Valentine’s Day together in Fort Funston! Beach, time together, and getting to celebrate our relationship in one of our favorite places.

February 14, 2026

Our first Valentine’s Day together in Fort Funston! Beach, time together, and getting to celebrate our relationship in one of our favorite places.
Exactly one year since that first Dunkin’ date! We celebrated one whole year of intentionally pursuing each other with a cake from Kelly. A lot had changed since that first “check-in” — thankfully we still really liked each other. :)

February 27, 2026

Exactly one year since that first Dunkin’ date! We celebrated one whole year of intentionally pursuing each other with a cake from Kelly. A lot had changed since that first “check-in” — thankfully we still really liked each other. :)
Birthday trip to the Oakland Zoo! A whole day of celebrating Josias, walking around the zoo, and another birthday adventure together.

March 28, 2026

Birthday trip to the Oakland Zoo! A whole day of celebrating Josias, walking around the zoo, and another birthday adventure together.
We both spent Easter morning serving at our churches and then got to spend the rest of the day together. Busy, sweet, and pretty representative of our lives — church, ministry, and then finally getting to hang out.

April 05, 2026

We both spent Easter morning serving at our churches and then got to spend the rest of the day together. Busy, sweet, and pretty representative of our lives — church, ministry, and then finally getting to hang out.
Avery cheered Josias on while he played volleyball with our Iglesia family. Avery took her supportive-girlfriend responsibilities very seriously.

April 26, 2026

Avery cheered Josias on while he played volleyball with our Iglesia family. Avery took her supportive-girlfriend responsibilities very seriously.
One of many homework dates at Milyar, one of our favorite coffee shops to study at! 

May 07, 2026

One of many homework dates at Milyar, one of our favorite coffee shops to study at! 
Mother's Day with Amy (Avery's Mom), who visited town for a couple of days! (Also, this was the first time Josias told Amy that an  engagement was coming!)

May 10, 2026

Mother's Day with Amy (Avery's Mom), who visited town for a couple of days! (Also, this was the first time Josias told Amy that an  engagement was coming!)
An adventure-filled day introducing Josias to whitewater rafting on the American River with the Middleton family!

July 03, 2026

An adventure-filled day introducing Josias to whitewater rafting on the American River with the Middleton family!
The Frisbee Crew was officially initiated!

July 29, 2026

The Frisbee Crew was officially initiated!
After lots of check-ins, coffee shops, park dates, adventures, family trips, FaceTimes, studying, ministry, hard conversations, growth, and so many sweet memories, Josias popped the question. After lots of emotions and no actual answer to Josias’ question, Avery finally screamed: “I WANT TO BE YOUR WIFE!” So...we’ll take that as a yes.

August 08, 2026

After lots of check-ins, coffee shops, park dates, adventures, family trips, FaceTimes, studying, ministry, hard conversations, growth, and so many sweet memories, Josias popped the question. After lots of emotions and no actual answer to Josias’ question, Avery finally screamed: “I WANT TO BE YOUR WIFE!” So...we’ll take that as a yes.