Out in the West Texas Town of El Paso, a girl from the Eastside of the Sun City would cross paths with a young man from the shadow of the Franklin Mountains as they embarked on their collegiate journey. Gabriela and Luis first met as classmates during their freshmen year at The University of Texas at El Paso (Go MINERS!!!). They became friends and stayed in touch as they continued on their separate ways but the possibility of a romance always lingered. Fast forward several years, the Eastside girl and the Northside boy now found themselves in different parts of Texas. Gabi had moved to the Alamo City to continue her teaching career and Luis had transferred to the heart of Texas where he would soon find his. As time passed, the two always managed to find each other in conversation. During one chat in particular Luis wagered dinner on a Packer vs Cowboy game and all though Dez Bryant did not catch the ball, Luis was able to catch a dinner date. Needless to say, that date was the first of many. Cue the long distance relationship. Countless trips up and down the I-35 corridor to see one and other, cheer on The Spurs, search for food just like from home and ANY time the MINERS were in town. 281 miles separated them but LOVE closed the gap. They've collected memories not just miles.

The obvious.. nervously. Luis spent months searching for the right ring to ask the right question to his left-handed love. With the ring secured, it came time to ask Mr. & Mrs. Chavez for their daughter's hand. They approved and provided advice that only a couple that had been happily married for over 50 years could provide. August nights are hot enough but Luis didn't need the heat to sweat as he tried to pull off a "surprise" proposal to a very inquisitive partner. The plan: Inform Gabi that Luis has "won" a gondola ride through the canals of Las Colinas under the stars of a big Texas sky via Instagram/Radio contest - to THIS day the details still remain unclear. The reality: Arriving too early for a 10 pm gondola ride to the location only to intercept an already in progress proposal, questions upon questions from Gabi, trying to hide a jewelry box in a sock (praying it wouldn't fall out) and the unpredictable Texas weather. Long story short: Gabi and Luis board gondola. The gondola departs and the whole world stops. The gondolier sings John Legend's Ordinary People as a drunk passer by says "sing that sh*t!". One message in a bottle later, followed by the traditional but challenging down on one knee in a GONDOLA in the DARK, Gabi said, "YES" and the rest is history.