He wouldn't leave me alone so I gave in.

^ Clearly, this is actually from the viewpoint of Mr. Grotzke. So, I will just briefly set the record straight.

We have a bona fide meet cute. Eric came into our store to read a book... all day. That's it. He came in, bought a book, sat in his chair with a cup of tea, and read all day long. He did this twice a week; obviously, as the responsible proprietor that I am, I introduced myself. The rest is history.

We began a beautiful friendship. He continued to seek the Lord, and he continued to show up every day -- and I don't just mean physically. Eric was there to help with the store, but he also graciously stepped into my and Adele's lives. He showed us, day in and day out, that he was there for the long haul. Through projectile vomit, meltdowns (belonging to both Adele and I), and all of the ups and downs of life, he continues to be a steady presence in our lives. We are so blessed to be able to call him ours.