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WE MET IN MAY 2015: I was introduced to Andy on my first day of work. He welcomed me, we shook hands, and I quickly forgot his name as I walked away. For years we sat on opposite sides of the office and occasionally had lunch together. He was known in the office for his odd accent, his lack of enthusiasm when answering the phone, and for his thousand and one stereotypes when speaking of other cultures. So, of course, I did not hold back when making fun of him. And the truth is that neither did he. END OF 2015 I RECEIVED AN EMAIL: Andy: I took my mom to a taco shop and she asked me what "carnitas" were. Andy: Yes, to her I owe my great knowledge of Mexican culture. Nabyl: Did you tell her that they were small meats? IN FEBRUARY OF 2016 ANDY SENT A PHOTO OF TIJUANA AND I SENT ONE OF PALM DESERT: I was on my way to Sunnylands to help lead a tour for Cal Poly students and Andy was at the peak of a mountain in San Diego. I do not know why he was so fascinated by the fact that from that point you could see all of Tijuana – until Later when I found out that he had only been to Mexico once and had never set foot in Tijuana]. We exchanged our plans for the day and realized that we would both be at ShamRock later that evening but ended our conversation there. It was life’s best laid out plan that on that night I would be headed to watch Bone Thugs N’ Harmony. While Andy was in a crowd already enjoying them [the group was going to play at the open air concert and then they would play in a club]. In the end I wasn’t able to see them and decided to stop by at Bootlegger – the Alabama bar. I don’t know what changed in me that night - that even the cowboy accent I was making fun of all year became charming. In the days after the concert I remember telling my mom about “this guy I couldn’t stop thinking about”. A year later I told Sia how wonderful her dad was. And today I have the honor of telling you that Andy and I are getting married!

Everything seems so much smoother in a foreign language; now for the real story – one of strangers turned colleague-strangers to friends: I was introduced to Naby one Monday morning in 2015 at my place of employment. I had been there for over three years; she, just beginning the rollercoaster of a lifetime. I wish I could say I remembered her name that first meeting, but I was too busy studying her look – she wore layers to perfection while I was merely an ordinary, average guy in t-shirt and boots. For the first month or two, we merely co-existed as colleagues. Sure, there were those times when I would pick up the phone to talk to a consultant, and she would laugh at my inability to enunciate any words in the only language I knew, but it was all building up toward a larger plan. As weeks wore on, we began talking more about all things Cowboy and Mexican. I had a knowledge of many things northeast and southeast to the country. Naby, of course, knew everything Tijuana – evidently tamales can be purchased outside of Costco; nachos are perfectly acceptable for breakfast; and taco salads and burritos aren’t really a thing in Mexico. Ironically, burrito means little donkey in Spanish. Fast forward to the following St. Patrick’s Day when luck was finally on our side. We had begun connecting regularly at work, but never ran into each other outside of the office. We both happen to be out with a group of friends in the same area of town when we ventured upon each other. Having obtained a basic understanding of Mexico at this point, it was time for Naby to be introduced to the most Alabama place in Southern California. Needless to say, she was enamored and a love story began. We are now overly happy to bring these two cultures together to celebrate the next chapter in our life with a close group of family and friends. We hope to see you all August 24th!

Andy and I were given the opportunity to go to Italy shortly after having our daughter. Before making it out over the Atlantic I made sure to set up a couple of engagement ring options on my Pinterest page so that Andy could accidently stumble upon them. We planned a trip full of adventures, beautiful landscapes, and new cities to discover. At each proposal worthy diner or overlook I imagined him having the ring in his pocket. And what would Andy say if he did propose here and now? We had the most amazing time in Italy but underwhelmingly did not return with news of an engagement. We got back to reality – dedicating all of our time to baby Sia and I soon erased any thought of a marriage proposal. Christmas eve: I remember the start of my uneventful day. I was doing laundry and folding clothes as my little helper, Sia, was taking clothes out of the dresser. When she was done taking out all of Andy’s shorts she crawled out of the room. Leaving me with a mess in the hall way and a little black box in the very last dresser ... in the very back ...The million and one possibilities of what could be in there rushed before my eyes. “it’s probably a watch” I tried to convince myself. I decided to google the brand that was stamped on the outer band around the box to ease my curiosity. Needless to say – I could not sleep that night. Sia and I had just uncovered what was to be my ring. But the setup was still the cutest and I enjoyed it as if I had not ruined it the day prior. Andy had us open all of our Christmas presents – leaving one (obviously mine). I was almost done opening it when he insisted that I take off Sia’s sweater. Her shirt had the quote “mommy will you marry my daddy?” I quickly looked up at Andy and he was kneeling with the familiar little black box.

NOS CONOCIMOS EN MAYO DEL 2015: Me presentaron a Andy en mi primer día de trabajo. Me dio la bienvenida, nos dimos la mano, y rápidamente se me olvido su nombre al retirarme. Por años nos sentamos en lados opuestos de la oficina y en ocasiones nos juntábamos en el almuerzo. Era conocido en la oficina por su acento de cowboy, por su falta de entusiasmo al contestar el teléfono, y por sus mil y un estereotipos al hablar de otras culturas. Así que, por supuesto, no contuve la carrilla. Y la verdad que el tampoco. A FINALES DEL 2015 RECIBI UN CORREO ELECTRONICO: Andy: Llevé a mi madre a una taqueria y me preguntó lo que eran “carnitas”. Sí, a ella le debo mi gran conocimiento de la cultura Mexicana. Respondí (Nabyl): ¿Le dijiste que eran carnes chicas? EN FEBRERO DEL 2016 ANDY ME ENVIO UNA FOTO DE TIJUANA Y YO UNA DE LA CIMA DE PALM DESERT: Yo iba en camino a Sunnylands (Palm Springs) para ayudar a dirigir un tour para estudiantes de Cal Poly y Andy se encontraba en la cima de un cerro en San Diego. No sé por qué estaba tan fascinado del hecho de que desde ese cerro se veía todo Tijuana. [Ya luego me fui a enterar que solo había estado en Mexico una vez y nunca visitado la bella ciudad de Tijuana]. Al mandarle la foto de la cima de Palm Springs le comenté que solo estaría unas horas ya que pensaba ir a “ShamRock” en el centro de San Diego. Me dijo que el también estaría en el centro y así termino nuestra conversación.

Fue coincidencia de la vida que esa noche yo iba a ver a un grupo llamado “Bones Thungs N Harmony” y él ya estaba entre la multitud viendo ese mismo grupo [el grupo iba a tocar en el concierto al aire libre y después tocarían en un club]. Al final no se me hizo entrar a verlos y después de algunas horas en el centro decidí ir al lugar que Andy frecuentaba. No sé qué cambio en mi esa noche – que hasta el mismo acento de cowboy del cual me burlaba - se me hizo de lo más bonito esa noche. En los días después del concierto recuerdo haberle contado a mi mama de “el nuevo muchacho que me mueve el tapete”. Semanas después le conté a mi hermana Sibyl que el muchacho me había hecho de cenar RIQUISIMO. Meses después le conté a mi papa que había encontrado a un hombre que era igual de cariñoso, trabajador, y respetuoso que él. Un año después le dije a Sia de lo maravilloso que era su papa’. Y hoy tengo el placer de contarles que nuestra boda se realizara el 24 de Agosto del 2019! Estamos muy emocionados por compartir este momento especial con nuestros amigos más cercanos y familiares.

Andy y yo ya teniamos a nuestro pedacito de amor, Sia, cuando se nos dió la oportunidad de ir a Italia. En mi pagina de pinterest ya tenía guardadas varias fotos del estilo de anillo que me gustaba. Y casualmente... Andy tenía acceso a mi cuanta... donde casualmente se le podía atravesar ese álbum. Planeamos un viaje lleno de aventuras, paisajes increíbles, y ciudades nuevas a conocer. En años previos a mi amiga Natasha y mi prima Tita les habían propuesto matrimonio en Italia. Así que en cada cena o sitio digno de una propuesta me imaginaba “tendrá el anillo en el bolsillo?” “Me maquille lo suficiente para las fotos del face?” “Que bueno que vengo con la uña pintada” Y bueno - Italia fue de lo mas hermoso y la pásanos muy bien pero regresamos a San Diego sin noticias de un compromiso. Nos dedicamos completamente a Sia y pronto se me borro el pensamiento de que en cualquier momento me podia proponer matrimonio. Llego el 24 de diciembre y yo estaba lavando ropa por la mañana. Iba acomodando la ropa que salía de la secadora. Sia, como de costumbre iba sacando la ropa ropa de los cajones. Después de sacar el último short acuático de su papá Sia perdió el interés y se fue del cuatro - Dejándome con ropa regada por todo el pasillo. Lentamente empecé a recoger y al agacharme para agarrar la ropa me congelé. En en último cajón hacia atrás había una cajita negra. Inmediatamente me imagine las mil cien cosas que podía contener la cajita. “Un reloj. Si creo que es un reloj.” No abrí la caja pero no me contuve la curiosidad y busque la marca en el internet. Google me lo confirmó. Sia había descubierto el anillo de compromiso!! Si pensé que mi trauma era algo de que preocuparse estando en Italia ... esto era algo para no dormir. Pase toda la noche pensando en cuando me daría el anillo? Donde? Como? Y cara haria yo para que no se diera cuenta de que ya sabia.

yo estaba convencida de que me daría el anillo para Año Nuevo. Abrimos todos los regalos y solo quedaba una caja chica en el árbol. Obvio que era mia. Antes de darme la caja Andy me dijo que le quitara la sudadera a Sia, en su camiseta decia “¿mami te casa con mi papi? Rápidamente subí la mirada para ver la reacción de Andy. Y ya estaba hincado frente a mi con la cajita negra abierta. Horas después le tuve que confesar que Sia y yo ya sabiamos...