In Angela’s words: A former boss told me about her husband’s good friend, Frank, a Dallas Cowboy fan in Riverside who she claimed had some strong feelings about women and football. (I know, I know.. let’s stop here for a moment to groan that this Niner girl is marrying a Cowboy fan. What can I say, the heart wants what the heart wants.) My boss asked to give this guy Frank my number so I could enlighten him and prove to him that women and football do, indeed, go hand in hand. I’m not, after-all, just a woo girl! Loving a good debate and any reason to show off my sports knowledge prowess, I readily agreed. Though we were set up to fight, it quickly became clear that there was a spark between us. Suddenly, it was all I could do to talk to this charismatic and hilariously witty guy. Eventually, Frank came up to the Bay Area. Now the pressure was really on! I pulled out all the stops for our first in person meeting, made grandma’s lasagna, served great wine, and set my trap... just kidding! There was no trap. But! Apparently the lasagna is what did it for him. And who could blame him? Grams’ lasagna is something to revel in. When Frank proposed it was a total surprise. There was not a single clue that would have led me to think we were going to Castle Lake for any other reason than to enjoy the beauty of nature. In fact, for the first time in 5 years Frank had started to say things like “IF we work out” and “IF we get married.” So, while he spent that weekend preparing for the most monumental question of our lives, I was (lovingly) giving him hell for referring to me and our relationship as an option. Talk about a foot in mouth moment when all of a sudden he was down on one knee! But that’s us. Playful, teasing, laughing, us.

In Frank’s words:. So, first off and foremost, I've never once in my life said that I had any type of feelings about "women and football." I guess that was a good play on her former boss's part, because Angela came out swinging! Anyone who knows Angela knows how feisty she is and how much she sticks to her guns when she believes in something. I was immediately put on the defensive and loved every second of it. Here was this quick-witted and passionate woman on the other line telling me how crazy it was if I thought that women couldn't know about football. She was really letting me have it! Yet, the whole time I was on the line, I had no idea what she was going on about! :) I was just listening to her and feeling crazy attracted to her personality and charm. Within a very short time I decided that I needed to meet this person face-to-face. I drove up in a rental car and spent a week with a friend. Then one night we went to San Bruno and this beautiful woman was waiting with a big smile, a big bottle of wine and a really big dish of homemade lasagna. It really was what got the hooks in! Trust me, it was amazing. And so was she. We spent the night talking with friends, eating, drinking and getting to know each other. Through all that, all I really knew for sure was that I felt an undeniable attraction. We've gone through a lot together since then. Through good times and bad. Highs and lows. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. I have found my person, my soulmate, my moon and my joy. There's nobody else that I want to go through this life with, so almost exactly 5 years after that first lasagna, I got on one knee and asked her the most profound question of our lives and we cannot wait to celebrate with you all very soon!