Can you believe we met each other folding t-shirts in a warehouse? Well, that's where it all started! It was right in the middle of the icy cold winter holidays. Everyday from 6am-4pm we were shipping merchandise together (Yes, even weekends). I can honestly say it was one of the most fun jobs I've ever had because we made so many awesome friendships! The best part about our friendship: we didn't have any motives to date each other, we were just two dudes feeling comfortable being ourselves! We bonded over music, art, and especially video games... we happened to be playing the same one at the time and one day I "got stuck" in part of the game and "really needed" his number so he could "help me figure it out". Ever since then our friendship grew... so much so that I realized, this was the journey my heart wanted to go on. My life was flipped upside down and it's never been the same since! We grew to be even better best friends and I wouldn't have it any other way!

This story starts with a love story all it's own... My mother and father, Maria (Connie) and Don met November 1st 1989, while my dad was visiting the Philippines. He was introduced to one of Connie's sisters, but he couldn't take his eyes off of Connie herself. After three days of getting to know each other he decided that he had found the love of his life and quickly asked her to marry him! Knowing this beautiful Love-at-first-sight story, Cole knew that there was only one way to propose and that was in my mother's home country where all of it started. He had known we were going to visit the Philippines within the next two years, so he held on to a ring that he found (for a year and a half) to get the perfect moment to ask me. I didn't know any of this was happening at all, which is hard to accomplish considering how nosy I am. With the help of my family and a couple people he had never met, he put together the most beautiful proposal including so many friends and family on a private beach in Luzon. My cousin was sneaky in recording the whole thing, My Aunt was distracting me while Cole quickly put it all together, and I was too busy admiring the sights to even notice what was happening! Cole suddenly took my hand as we walked across the beach and found a Message in a Bottle! I opened it and inside, it said "DO IT". I was very confused and as I stood up Cole got down on one knee.. and forgot every single word of the speech he had been working on for months! After the shock and excitement-filled giggling he managed to say the most special words I've ever heard in my life. This was where my mother was born. This is where my parents met and got engaged. This is where my story began... After many failed attempts to properly say YES (mostly blubbering and dog whistle squeals) everyone ran over to celebrate! Happy tears, big hugs, and a washed up blow fish later, we finished the rest of the day on the beach, in the pool, enjoying the sun and the company of each other!