Our Story
Question
Where It All Began
Answer
Our story begins back in 2010, in high school. From the moment we met, we instantly connected and quickly became close friends. According to everyone around us, it was obvious that we liked each other… but of course, we insisted we were “just friends”. Happens to be... we were soo wrong! Before we knew it, that friendship turned into something more, and we began dating. We spent a little over two years together, building a relationship full of laughter, the kind of inside jokes that still make no sense to anyone else, and unforgettable memories. Eventually, distance led us down different paths. Even so, we never truly lost each other, we remained close friends, always supporting one another and celebrating life’s milestones along the way.
Question
Finding Our Way Back
Answer
Years later, after living in different countries and even continents, our friendship remained strong. In 2021, we made plans for Ana to visit Diego for what was supposed to be a simple one-week trip (spoiler alert: we did not quite stick to the plan & let's just say the return ticket went unused for a while). Although we had seen each other as friends over the years, this time felt different. We were a little nervous about what it all meant, but also curious enough to see where it might lead. So, we decided to give it another shot. For the next two years, we navigated long distance, making the most of every visit, every trip, and every moment we could spend together. Between plenty of travel, shared adventures, and a lot of patience, our relationship grew stronger with time. Finally, in 2023, we closed the distance and began building our life together, this time side by side. And of course, there is the family. Raleighita, the sweetest and most awkward dog that many of you may know, was thrilled about Ana officially moving to North Carolina. Not long after, Mia came along… sweet, full of personality, and just the right amount of chaos to keep things more interesting around our house.
Question
Engagement: Diego's Side
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When I finally got the ring, I was buried in schoolwork (prelims) and scrambling to split my time to figure out how and when to propose. We had a friends’ trip planned to the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, so I thought it was perfect timing… if I could pull it off. After some last-minute planning, I decided it would mean more to propose on the North Carolina side of the mountains, since it’s been home for us the past years. So I came up with a plan: we’d stop along the Blue Ridge Parkway at sunrise, hike a short trail, and get a beautiful view of the Linn Cove Viaduct. Easy, right? I convinced Ana it was just a scenic stop we hadn’t done before, no suspicion (I hoped). We left super early with our pups Raleigh and Mia, and after I changed outfits about four times trying to find something that looked nice but not suspicious, I realized that all the outfit changes were probably way more suspicious, so I ended up just going with regular hiking clothes to play it off. I then spent the whole hike trying to act normal while hiding a very obvious ring box in my pocket. One hand covering it, the other holding Raleigh’s leash as she happily sprinted and jumped around the trail. When we finally reached the “perfect” spot… it was not perfect at all. No space, no privacy, just a tiny viewing gap, a narrow rock, and tourists everywhere. I started to panic. Did she notice the ring box? Do I change my plans? How do I carry this ring all weekend without her finding out? I improvised. I remembered a quieter spot along the trail with a nice view, set up my phone like we were taking a picture, and went for it. Of course, every word I had practiced disappeared instantly, and I have no idea what I actually said… but somehow, it worked. As you may already know...Ana said yes, and just like that, we were engaged.
Question
Engagement: Ana's Side
Answer
I did NOT notice the four outfit changes until Diego mentioned them directly. What this made me notice though, was that I was wearing a dress in a 5-degree Celsius weather. However, I was fully assuming that we would admire the mountains/view from the car and that it would be warm enough once we got to the destination, so I kept it on. So when Diego pulled over at a hiking trail, I was surprised. So, yeah, I think I should also have thought about changing outfits... It was 7 am, so my first possible solution to bear the cold weather was to wear the pajama pants I had in my carry-on! Fortunately for meee and the future pictures and video to be taken, my bag was buried under everything in the trunk, so I settled for black leggings that I had in my backpack instead, and then we went. Throughout the walk, I was still a bit surprised he had suggested hiking in the early morning. I did notice that he got nervous when the spot he had been aiming for (the one he had seen online with a great view) was full of tourists and would have required some exotic jumps to actually pull off the nice view and picture. I also noticed his kind of desperation to find another stop… and still, somehow, I was not even considering the possibility of what was about to happen. Diego suggested a photo, which is normal enough. And that's when it happened… completely unexpected on my end, despite his certainty that I had figured it out miles ago. What was actually said that day is a (funny) story for another time, and the reason we still can't get our stories straight and bicker about it to this day. But after all the 'hiccups' along the way, I found it absolutely perfect. It was such an "us" proposal: just the two of us, in the mountains and nature where we love to spend time together, with our pups and everything unfolding in true Ana and Diego style, which means tons of laughter (and a bit of tears). Definitely, one of the best memories we could ever have!!!