"We're getting married!"

It was Thursday night a quarter till 10pm, I waited for Amy to meet me at Starbucks. I was excited because we were going to meet for our first date. Starbucks was closing at 10pm and several cars were driving in the plaza but I was not seeing her. Then, I noticed from far a girl parking a black minivan that looked like it could be her. As she approached, I noticed she looked very pretty and cheerful. Starbucks had by this time closed, so I suggested we go to Duffy’s on the same plaza. We engaged in small talk on the way there but as soon as we sat down to order, Amy cheered, “let our interview begin!” It was a funny icebreaker and we both began to laugh. Our conversation flowed naturally that evening. She was funny, smart and not scared to show her goofy side. When we left Duffy’s, the weather got chillier and windy so as I walked Amy to her car, I offered her my sweater. She appreciated the gesture but replied she was alright. When we approached her car, I noticed the wind blowing her hair covering her face. I then took the opportunity to slide her hair behind her ear. It was the first touch but not yet the first kiss. It did not take long for us to meet for a second date. Amy loves to dance and wanted to be sure I had moves. When we met again, we had dinner at Rocco's tacos. Amy decided to play her playlist on her iPhone, then dragged me towards a side alley for us to dance. We ended up dancing for hours just the two of us that night. We both appreciate nature and enjoy the sunrise, sunset and stargazing. Our third date was on Valentine's Day and after we had dinner, we drove to the beach and gazed at the stars. We both felt a special connection that night. It was not long before, we began spending more time together. After dating for a couple of months, we began to take weekend getaway trips to the Keys, St Augustine and throughout western Florida. We had a great experience on each of our trips.

After our first year dating, I knew I wanted to propose to Amy. I was not sure how ready she was at the time so I brought up the idea of us traveling to the Philippines together. She loved the idea. I wanted it to be special so I made plans ahead of time to propose to Amy in her hometown in the Philippines. There was a place Amy once told me about called the "Chateau de Busay." It’s a mansion on a mountaintop with a breathtaking view of her hometown. They also specialize in hosting special events so I booked a reservation with them for dinner and a one night stay. I also picked out an engagement ring prior to our trip. Our trip to the Philippines was amazing! The flight was really long but well worth it. We left from Miami airport and got a connecting flight in Los Angeles. From LA, we went straight to Manila. We stayed in Manila overnight and got a chance to explore the city. Next morning, we flew to Amy’s hometown in Cebu where we met her family. Meeting Amy’s family was a great experience. I met Amy’s mother and father, both her sisters and her brother. After meeting the family, we began our island hopping journey. From Cebu, we flew to an island called "Palawan" that has white sand beaches and crystal clear oceans. We then traveled to El Nido and back to Cebu. From Cebu, we took a ferry to Bohol with Amy’s family. In Bohol, we visited the "Chocolate hills" and went to the zoo to see this amazing looking animal called "Tarsiers " which happen to be the smallest primates. We also visited Loboc river and took a boat-ride with open buffet and live music. We went to "Mahogany Forest," a man-made forest, hanging bridge, the beach and did lots more. This vacation gave me the opportunity to get to know Amy’s family and for them to get to know me as well.

Prior to proposing, I wanted to ask Amy’s parents for their daughter’s hand in marriage. Therefore, during the last weekend of our trip, I spoke with Amy’s mother and her father to get their blessing. It was not easy, Amy’s father had an interpreter come join us just to ask me questions. After a lengthy interrogation from her father and her brother, they finally invited me to join them for a beer. Amy was happy because that meant I was welcome to the family. The next day, Amy and I went to Kawasan Falls for a swim and spent the day together. Before sunset, we went to Chateau de Busay where I had made reservations to have dinner on the terrace overseeing Cebu city. The setting was perfect! The waitress introduced the menu and we picked our selection. I had the tenderloin and Amy had chicken and shrimp. As the sky darkened, Amy and I really took the time to admire the natural mountaintop view overseeing Cebu city. Amy looked beautiful in a long green silk dress. She was so happy I brought her to the Chateau and kept telling me how perfect everything was. She did not know I was going to propose so after we finished eating, I began telling Amy how my life has changed since we’ve met. I told her how special she was and how much I loved her and wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I then took out the engagement ring, got on one knee, and asked Amy to marry me. She cheered, Yes! hugged and kissed me joyfully.