We're getting married!

Who would’ve thought we’d always find our way back to each other? We first met at Corona Elementary School in Ontario, California, when we were in third grade. A year later, Ashley moved to Arizona, and we lost touch for a while. Years later, I visited my old neighborhood to see some friends—but they canceled last minute. David happened to live a street over from where Ashley was meeting that friend. What felt like a bummer at the time ended up being a blessing in disguise. Those visits turned into hanging out in his front yard, meeting his siblings, holding baby Eli, and sharing our first kiss—while a Lakers game played inside and his grandpa sat on the couch. Thanks to his Nina Suzzie’s monthly visits to Phoenix, we had more excuses to see each other. We started dating, and David spent his entire summers in Arizona. In the summer heat, he’d take two buses, a light rail, and a skateboard just to see me. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is lol. He would always say " just kick and push" lol. Every goodbye ended in tears, and eventually, the distance became too hard in high school. We went our separate ways not realizing the universe had more plans for us. Over the years, David never stopped checking in. Every year (or every other), there’d be a message: “How are you? Did you become a firefighter? My mom was asking about you.” To this day, I’m still not sure if his mom really was asking—or if that was just David’s excuse to talk to me lol. Fast forward to 2021: an Instagram message sparked what felt like a brand-new beginning. Catching up turned into daily texts, then phone calls. I tried to remind myself to be cautious; after all, he was still in California, and I was in Arizona. And David always swore he’d never leave California. We started talking about our shared love for travel and how we both dreamed of visiting Switzerland someday. Before planning a big trip, though, we decided to “test” our friendship in person. I booked a trip to California, and just days before, David called me and sounded nervous on the phone. I remember him telling me that he really liked me and asked if I was free that weekend to take me out on a date ( That was the same weekend I was already going lol). David was so thoughtful and planned the entire weekend from Horror Nights at Universal Studios, Santa Monica roller coasters, Korean corn dogs, and late-night Ben & Jerry’s. David even made me a playlist. By the end of the trip, the saying “when you know, you know” had never felt truer. Four months later, David packed up his life in California—leaving behind his family and friends—to move to Arizona and start a new chapter with me. Two years later, he proposed. Now, we’re getting ready to celebrate our four-year anniversary on November 5, 2025 (fun fact: my brother Nathaniel and his girlfriend Dana share the same anniversary. Yes, they totally copied us lol jk). There have been so many signs that the stars were aligning for us—from David’s birthday being 6/26 and my favorite number being 626 (because, yes, Lilo & Stitch), to all the little ways life kept bringing us back together. Now, here we are to what feels like destiny.