It was a dark and cloudy day, Blas was living Corazón Puro's 1st Stage Retreat, when suddenly the sky parted and a ray of sunshine shone over Karen, completely captivating his attention. He then heard a voice say, "she's her" and so he pursued. Blas went up to her eager to "spit some game" at her when he was hit with the wall of disinterest and dry responses from her. Blas's confidence and game was shattered. He felt as if he was talking to a girl for the first time. The interaction was so awkward that he gave up and walked away defeated, and if things couldn’t get worse, he somehow forgot her name! Despite the encounter being so awkward, he couldn't seem to lose the sense of curiosity of finding out who this girl was. Since he forgot Karen’s name, he sought out interactions with her to hopefully catch her name again. If you ask Karen now, she has no recollection of said interaction…making Blas feel even more defeated, since he didn’t leave an impression on her. Eventually through serving in Corazon Puro together and having friends in the same circle, he decided to muster up the courage and “slide in her DMs”. However, just as the first interaction, Karen was very dry and didn't show any interest back at poor Blas. Eventually dry responses turned into daily texting and a friendship bloomed. In April of 2019, he decided to go to a weeklong “come and see” with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal during Holy Week, to see whether he was meant to be in religious life. To his surprise, Karen asked him if he was discerning to be a priest. Blas with all honesty opened to Karen and told her that he was not sure; the come and see was to finding out that same question. Blas was then asked by Karen to "talk", but that she would rather wait and ask him until after the come & see. Naturally, Blas’s palms grew sweaty, knees weak, arms spaghetti (ok ill stop lol). He accepted. Good Friday came and they both ended up finding each other at the Good Friday procession. They both walked together side by side, in silence. One of Blas’s first fond memories with Karen. After the procession, Blas was to return with the brothers to continue with the come and see. Before he could leave, Karen seized her moment and bluntly asked him if he liked her. Blas, caught off guard, did not know how to reply to her, this was the first time a woman confronted him and “pressed” him to find out if he had feelings for a girl. He responded yes, and to his surprise Karen said that she was also into him! Can you believe that!? Blas, caught off guard and excited at the same time, found the only way to ruin such a moment, blurted out loud, “So what now?”. Karen, waiting for Blas to lead, was also unsure of what would be the next step. If Blas wasn’t sure of what his vocation would be, he now knew. However, he still had an important meeting with the Vocation director, to see if he was to be accepted to participate to the next step of discernment for religious life. Blas was rejected by the Vocation director, but not without being told the best advice that he still cherishes to this day, “Live your youth in the most holy way. You will then be able to see the needle of a barometer pointing at you which is your vocation”. Despite being heartbroken by the rejection, he held his head high, knowing he now had a chance to date Karen. They went on their first date: Mass at Our Lady of Mercy, and then they went to eat at a locally famous Mexican restaurant, Los Girasoles. A few dates later, and a lot of hard work from Karen, they both discerned and decided that they should start dating. After Blas learned what dating with intention was, he knew one of three things would happen with this relationship: They both start dating but realize they’re not meant to get married but the experience prepares them for their future spouses, they start dating but then realize they are meant for religious life and not marriage, or they get married and lead each other to heaven. And so..here we are.