Our story began six years prior to our official first date. We initially met about three months prior to Eva leaving Dallas for PA graduate school in NYC. As such, our lives journeyed down separate paths which were unknowingly destined for reunion. As serendipity would have it, we reconnected after Paul casually invited Eva to a small party at his house. Not knowing what to expect after six years of separation, Eva cautiously accepted and, well, the rest, as they say, is history. We were inseparable and head over heels in love from that moment on earning the endearing nickname, Peva. Our love blossomed as we traveled the world together leading to a romantic sunset proposal in Lisbon, Portugal on October 25, 2019.

Paul, like most things, had a plan, a very detailed proposal plan that was rehearsed to perfection. After a day of sightseeing around Lisbon, it was time to execute the much anticipated proposal. While Eva prepared for our dinner reservations at Eleven, an amazing Lisbon Michelin Star eatery, Paul prepared the balcony for the special moment. The weather was perfect, the sunset stunning, but the pre-party occurring on the balcony next to us was not anticipated. As such, Paul sprang into action by asking the ten Eastern European gents if they wouldn’t mind keeping it down as he was about to propose. Without hesitation, they obliged, and Paul was back on track. Paul then asked Eva to join him on the balcony for the sunset and a bottle of champagne. As she entered the balcony overlooking the Tagus River, Paul played one of our favorite Hawaiian songs, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow-What a Wonderful World,” by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. Reaching into his pocket for the ring, Paul found the skinniness of his jeans an impediment to the swift removal of the ring enclosed in its box. After pointing to a landmark in the far distance as diversion, he dropped to one knee as Eva turned back around finding him with the ring in his hand. As Eva gasped with surprise, tears of joy flowed down her cheeks while Paul nailed the first of three lines in his planned proposal. The moment proved overwhelming for even the well prepared Paul as the same tears of joy filled his eyes causing a slight stumble on verse two, but leading to a well executed, “Will you do me the greatest honor of marrying me?” Eva, still caught up in the moment, gave Paul a big kiss just as the sun finally laid to rest and said, “Yes!”

Although inseparable upon reconnecting, Eva and Paul found themselves separated by two oceans during the first month of their relationship. They both had respective travel adventures that would separate them for three weeks as Paul journeyed to Japan and Eva to Spain and Croatia. Facetiming one another throughout their adventures proved challenging yet exciting. They vowed after reuniting yet again to enjoy traveling the world together. We are so thankful for all those loved ones who have shared these travel experiences with us. We truly love and appreciate each and every one of y’all. Mahalo!