Blake was very persistent in asking me out on a date and with help from my sister, Franny who told me to give him a chance because the last relationship that I was in during college was an ultimate fail overall, we went on our first date. During our first date, he took me to Waikiki to my friend Chris from college who was here with his family visiting Hawaii. We got drinks with his family and continued to play tourist from Waikiki to North Shore and back to Pearl Harbor. Our first kiss was while watching the sunset and the waves at North Shore and from there, we spent four amazing days together. Even though we had not been around each other long and was use to communicating through text messages prior to us actually going on dates, everything seemed so natural. He continued to give me butterflies and charmed me with his southern ways; he was everything that I did not expect and yet everything that I needed at the same time. Ever since our first date to now, we have always been together. Sharing experiences, fighting over football teams, laughing our way through life together and loving each other unconditionally.

Blake came back from being underway for three months on the day he proposed and I had been working a surveillance mission with my team. I knew he was coming home sometime that day and I figured I would still be at work so I just assumed my parents would pick him up and give him a ride back to our condo and I would see him after I got off work. Little did I know, he had been planning this proposal for awhile now. He ended up texting me saying that he was about to do something that he was really nervous about but would not go into detail for me. I was dying on the inside, wishing he would just tell me what he was talking about. Later on during that day, he texted me as I was about to get off work and gave me ver specific directions as to what I was supposed to do once I came back to our condo and parked. He told me that I needed to make sure I texted him letting him know that I was there and that I needed to knock on the door before entering. I did all of that and finally when I opened our front door, there he was on his knee, ring box opened, and in Florida Gators pajama pants. He stared at me and I stared at him crying and then he said a lot of amazing things and ultimately asked me the easiest question ever, and I said YES, yes over a million times and the rest of the night included lots of kisses and happy messages from our friends and family congratulating us. Blake told me after we finished hugging and crying that he went and asked my Dad for his permission to marry me earlier that day while I was still at work. He surprised me and continues to surprise me each and every day. It was easy saying yes to my best friend!

On October 20th, 2017, Blake and I eloped in our condo among a retired naval officer/Judge as our officiant. It was very intimate, sweet, and was exactly what we wanted before he left on his deployment. We knew that we were still going to have a ceremony that way our friends and family can be included in our celebrations. I can't wait to see Blake's reaction as my dad and I walk down the aisle during our vow renewal, it give me goosebumps just thinking about it all.

August 9th, 2018 will be the day that Blake and I get to celebrate with all of our friends and family that have traveled several miles and a cross sea to see us celebrate our love here in Hawaii. It is going to be one for the books!