It all started when I walked into the local coffee shop and saw the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I wanted to meet her badly, but it was a busy coffee shop, and I couldn't quite muster up the courage to approach her. In the weeks after, it haunted me that I didn't at least take a shot. I figured I'd never see her again, but miraculously, a couple of weeks later, I pulled into the same shopping center where I had seen her weeks before, and there she was. I knew immediately it was her. I quickly parked the car and tried to make myself look presentable since I wasn't exactly dressed for success in sweats with a beard and afro. As luck would have it, she was going to the same place I was going, Lazy Acres market (I am still known as "Matt Lazy" on Crystal's phone). Unbeknownst to her, I began following her around the market, waiting for the right moment to strike. My undercover mission was quickly sabotaged when I ran into an old friend I hadn't seen in years. Trying not to be rude, we caught up for a few minutes, and by the time we said goodbye, she was gone. I combed every aisle, but she was nowhere to be found. Disappointed, I finished my grocery shopping and got in my car to head home. As I was pulling out, she appeared in the parking lot again. I quickly parked the car just in time to see her walk into CVS. I followed her in, but before I knew it, she was checking out. I hid down one of the aisles, waited a second, then followed her out. I still don't know how I so severely mistimed this, but when I exited and saw her, she was already halfway down a row of cars and walking quickly. I started running, knowing I had to catch her before she got to her car. But it was too late; she was already in her car by the time I got there. I said to myself, "I can't do this," but I couldn't let her walk out of my life again. So, in a dark parking lot at night, I decided I had no choice but to knock on her car window. Surprisingly, this didn't get the reaction I was hoping for as she turned her head and screamed. I guess I looked harmless enough, and because she thought she had dropped something, she cracked her door to inquire what this lunatic wanted. With no better explanation than the truth, I told her the whole story..."You're gonna think I'm completely out of my mind, but I saw you in that coffee shop two weeks ago...". Luckily, my story was entertaining enough that she decided to give me her number. It took a little while before romance was in the air, but my persistence eventually paid off. It was a long shot, but I probably wouldn't be sitting here today if I hadn't knocked on her window. It only goes to show that sometimes you gotta take a shot; you never know what might happen.

Much like our first encounter, the proposal didn't quite go off without a hitch. Once I had the ring in hand and decided the time was right, I planned a little getaway to the Ojai Valley Inn. To plan ahead, I drove down before our stay and shared my intentions with the concierge. They directed me to some of the more desirable locations on the property, so I spent a few hours trying to find the right spot. The concierge explained that once I found the right spot and decided on a day and time, I should check with them to ensure that no events would be going on there at that time. I found my spot; fortunately, the concierge said it would be wide open then. Days later, we arrived at the Ojai Valley Inn in what was pitched as a short getaway to get some R&R. The time came, and I was ready to make my move, so I asked Crystal to take a sunset walk with me. As we walked, I tried to reflect on our history casually, but as we approached my spot, I heard voices in the distance. As we rounded the corner, I was greeted by over 300 people gathering to celebrate a special occasion; way to go Ojai Valley Inn concierge! With my plan foiled, I had to pivot and continue our casual walk, acting as if everything was fine. To compound things, I had arranged for a rose petal turndown so that she would be greeted by a room full of rose petals when we returned. With housekeeping in the room and nowhere to go, I proposed that we stop by the hotel bar so I could drink my troubles away before heading to dinner. With my new plan to propose when we got home, I decided to go with the flow and enjoy the night, so we headed to what was supposed to be our post-engagement dinner celebration. After a fun dinner, we returned to our room, where she walked into a room full of rose petals. She walked through the room and made her way to the main attraction, a large heart on the bed made of roses, and when she turned around, I was on one knee.