Thirteen years ago, they met. Eleven years ago, he began working a second job, to save for her engagement ring because, "He knew he would marry her" Ten years ago, they dated. Nine years ago they were engaged and set their wedding date as March 21, 2009. Seven years ago, they broke up instead of getting married. Three years ago, she and her son moved to Florida. Three years ago, he arrived at her dad's doorstep and told him that she, "was his life and soulmate," and asked permission to be the man she deserved. Three years ago, he succeeded. It's been a long, crazy and broken road. So the answer to, "after all this time?" is Always!

We have painstakingly created our invitation list. Our wish was not to offend anyone, but also not to burden anyone. We know that travel is expensive, weddings are expensive, and let's be real, they are not always fun. We do not want anyone to feel obligated to attend the wedding. We want you to be a part of our day, as much as you are able, but we completely understand if you are unable to attend. We plan to post the finished pictures and video. We love you and want you to be able to share vicariously in our special day, even if you can't make the trip.

Let's be real, the first proposal, seven years ago, was...awful! When we got back together this time, I told David, "few people get the chance to do this twice. I'm living in Florida, you've got two castles to choose from, and I don't care which one." I'm basic, I know! Two and a half years ago, after we got back together, David, Josh and I were attending Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. We were sitting right in front of Cinderella's Castle, truly my happy place, and I became completely overwhelmed. I became overwhelmed with God's grace, with how much I realized this man loved me, and I was sitting there with two of my three favorite men on earth. The tears began to roll down my face and David took a picture. He still says it's his all-time favorite picture of me. What I didn't know, was that at that moment, he decided he was going to recreate this moment to propose years later. Last year, he called Disney and tried to book a Very Merry Christmas Party proposal, but as those of us who KNOW Disney are aware, it's just not that simple. He was told he would have to wait a year. My sweet brother Denis fast forwarded our wedding planning when he was going to propose himself. The deal was, if we were going to get married in the fall, he would get married in the spring and vice-versa. I told him to talk to David because I wanted no part of this discussion. Well, David told him and then me that we would take spring. This sent a former wedding planner into high gear as we were looking at about 12 months from that time! We chose a date and began secretly planning, only our families were aware of the dates and the plans. In July, I assumed he would probably propose as pretty much our whole family was going to be assembled here in Orlando, and we were now nine months from wedding date. When I realized this was not his plan, I did was any sweet, loving, patient girl would do...I got upset (insert palm face emoji here).

After patiently listening to me going on and on that day in July, David simply said, "Listen, the wedding date is set for April 7th. We are doing this, and I love you. But I also know you, I know the proposal you have dreamed about for your entire life. I want to give that to you. So let me give that to you and don't rob yourself of it. I can just give you your ring, or I can give you the story of a lifetime to go with it." At which point, I realized just one more reason why I love this amazing man. From that time on, we began full speed planning the wedding, taking our engagement pictures and I didn't worry about the ring. Despite the myriad, "wait, what? you're planning a wedding but not officially engaged?" I was super chill about the whole ordeal until the morning of December 19th.

David was coming down to Orlando the first week of January. He was supposed to be here in December, but was unable to do so because of flight prices, schedules, etc. I assumed that would be when he proposed. I was bummed that it wasn't going to be at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (MVMCP), but at least the castle would still have Christmas lights on it. Friday, December 15th, my BFF, Jeff, called me to tell me he was given MVMCP tickets by one of his tour Guests. It made sense since our friend Jamie had just received the same earlier that week. Jeff said he was taking my mom, our friend Heather, and myself. I was so excited! My immediate thought was, "Oh my gosh! This is it!" But then I began to think about what David would have to do to pull this off. He would have had to contact Jeff, (not sure how since David has no idea how to Facebook and they only met briefly one time). He would have had to contact my job to get the days off to coincide with Jeff's days off. He would have had to get tickets and send them to Jeff. None of these things are things I would have thought David capable of doing. Planning is usually my area. On Sunday, Jeff became very sick (in fact, here, a month later he is still fighting it.) Jeff called to tell me he was on his way to give me tickets, but our friend Heather and her daughter would go with us. I was so bummed. I didn't want to go any more. Heather convinced me to go and get dressed. Eventually we found ourselves at the Magic Kingdom. The more we walked around, the more I was missing David and really missing my dad and Josh. The magic just wasn't there. After "looking for a bathroom" for Heather for awhile (a rouse), I eventually said, "I'm just going to stand here in front of the castle." Standing in front of the castle, my eyes welled up with tears looking at the beauty of the castle but thinking how much I was missing David and my dad. Suddenly, there was a person standing over my shoulder...