We're Getting Married!

We would love to say we met while both volunteering at an animal shelter or he saved my life carrying me out of a burning building, or even we met at a library, but online is where it happened. SHOUTOUT HINGE! I was instantly drawn to his Rice football picture and he couldn't resist my talent of being able to fold a fitted sheet. After about a month of talking through the application's platform, we decided we definitely wanted to meet and get a drink. Welp, the Rona really messed that one up, but possibly in the most beautiful way possible. Our first date was the day all the restaurants closed due to the pandemic caused by COVID 19. We walked around the ghost town that was once the beautiful and eclectic Carlsbad Village. After making a giant loop walking the path along the train tracks and down by the beach, we made our way back to where we started. Since no place was open and we weren't ready for the night to end, we settled for a glass of wine inside Christians' place where I was greeted by the most adorable dog in the whole wide world, Mr. Jak! Not to get too mushy but from the moment I stepped inside and the moment I met Jak, I knew that this was a place I was going to be quite often. In no other words to really describe it, this man, and this dog, felt like home.

Christian is the planner in the relationship, and not only is he really good at it but he actually prefers to do a majority of the planning for things. Thank God because that's one of the many things I love most about him! I loved everything about this day. For starters, I was hugely surprised! I'm still in shock that somehow both our families managed to keep things a secret. We got engaged on June 28th, it was our second day in Crested Butte, Colorado where we got to spend a few days with Christian's family before we continued on our cross country venture. We planned to hike to Judd Falls that morning. It was a moderately easy hike, and the scenery was as you could imagine so beautiful! We found the falls and took advantage of plenty of photo ops along the way. As we were about to turn around and head back down the trail, I wanted one more picture with Christian and Jak in front of the waterfall. Christian goes to find Lauren to take the photo. When they came back... Jak had a small royal blue velvet bag tied to his collar. I remember it taking some effort to untie the knot and even as I was struggling, I didn't think much of it. If anything I thought maybe it could be an early birthday present (I was turning 30 the next month). Finally, I got the knot untied and when I opened up the velvet bag it had a tiny black box inside of it (not a ring box, just a super small gift box). I was still not thinking anything along the lines of him proposing. Inside the tiny black box, was a folded-up note that read, "WILL YOU BE MY MOM?!?! - JAK JAK." My eyes instantly start welling up with tears because I finally knew what was about to happen. Honestly, from there things are one big blur, I know Christian said a bunch of beautiful sweet things, he got down on one knee and popped the question. I have never been so happy in my entire life and every day I feel like the luckiest woman in the world. I can't wait to marry this man!!