We're Getting Married!

On this day we didn't know our lives would change forever. I saw a retweeted picture of Sheldon by , my friend and Sheldon's cousin, Serena. I thought Shel was cute and asked Serena "if he was single, asking for a friend". Serena told me to ask him for myself and that is exactly what I did. I went to twitter and Dm'd Shel... " hey I'm Serena's friend and I think you are very attractive". After that, I knew I had him hooked. We quickly progressed as friends and with Shel in Houston at UH and me in nursing school at Baylor in Dallas, we (admittedly, mostly Shel) did a lot of back and forth between the cities. Initially, I did not want to be official...although Shel had other plans. On Jan 11th, 2019 Shel officially asked me to be his girlfriend with a butterfly anklet (my spirit animal). We were inseparable from that point on. Graduating and moving to Dallas together we started our adulthood journeys together.

I was 1500 miles away from Dallas in NYC staring directly at the life I wanted to live, but it was incomplete, because she wasn't there. That was me back in November of 2021. I took a trip up to the city to be closer to the pulse and imagine what a life there would be like, and in doing so, I knew what mine needed to - in more ways than one. It was in that moment I knew what I needed to do. I needed to change Camry from a girl I was living with to a wife I'd be living for. Therefore, soon after returning to Dallas, I took a trip to Grand Prairie to do the honest thing and look her parents in the eye as I asked for their blessing to marry their daughter. Although I knew they believed and trusted me to take care of their baby girl long before this conversation, it was still quite anxiety inducing. However, after explaining just what Cam had meant to me leading up to that point, and what she'll continue to mean to me going forward, they understood she'd be going into a bond with a man whose love couldn't be contained. From that point on, a plan was in motion. I always wondered how I'd pop the question to the girl of my dreams. What setup would be required, who would assist in executing this beautiful materialization of love. But I must say, the opportunity fell into my lap. Camry's parents wanted to celebrate their 30th anniversary and invited myself along with Cam and her sister Sadie to accompany them to Hawaii to celebrate. My mind instantly went to thinking of a proposal but soon retreated as I didn't want to make the trip that was intend for them, about Camry and me. However, after listening to my mom and sister, I went to the Jones' to propose, well... my proposal. They were relieved as they were wondering just when I'd finally come calling to ask! Camry's mom and I immediately began plotting. We worked together for months on putting the necessary pieces in play; laying the groundwork for a day that'd be etched into the memories of both of our families, forever. As the days went by, and the date neared, it really began to hit me just what I was about to embark on. I was about to carry out an action that would lead to two souls being tied for eternity, and I couldn't wait. Because for the first time in my life, I knew what my purpose would be. I knew I had to crystalize the immense love I had for Camry and set in motion what would lead to the first day of the rest of our lives. Next thing I knew, we were off to paradise. This would be the first time I'd ever visit Hawaii and soon after landing I was reassured of the location, I decided to be the setting of this momentous occasion. The backdrop was perfect, a jaw-droppingly beautiful environment fitting for an even more stunning woman. Later that night I went and visited my family who had clandestinely booked a stay at the same resort to witness the proposal. Being with them in those final moments before my life would change meant everything. Fast forward to the moment of truth and it there it was, that feeling again. Staring directly into my future, and it was perfect. If you ask the both of us, neither one of us can really tell you exactly what I said in that moment, but it was the perfect paradox. An immaculate punctuation to what we had created thus far, yet also, a flawless beginning to what was to come.