Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate. -Mark 10:9 (NIV)

Facebook Messenger, our first message: May 9, 2023 at 11:51 PM Jose messaged: "So, how about them PG Strike Freedom pics?" May 10, 2023 at 12:06 PM Ishan messaged back "Lulz let me get those~!" 2 pictures of my favorite Gundam model were sent. From then on, we talked every day and it felt like we’d always been best friends. Just being able to nerd out together over Gunpla (Japanese plastic model kits), mecha anime, and the Gundam franchise felt natural. Before we knew it, we were sharing and learning about our other hobbies. From cooking, to beat making, to story crafting and RPG videogames...we found so much in common to bond over. Eventually, these conversations took an important turn: What's your view on finances and how they should be handled? Do you want to be married? How about kids? How is your relationship with your family? Are you religious? What's your ideal future? What are your deal breakers? These questions were deep digging for both of us. After all was said and done, Jose made it clear that he dates to marry and if I agreed to him "courting" me, that would be the end goal. And as you can see...we're at the end goal.

In the evening when Jose proposed to me, I, of course, wasn't expecting it because I was instead, expecting a surprise gift relating to our to Gunpla hobby. As I walked into his home, the song Just Communication by Two-Mix from the anime Gundam Wing was playing. And I got hyped! My brain started racing about which model kit he was gifting me: "Is it a Wing Zero? Getting a Tallgeese would be dope though...but there's no way he's doing all this and it not be Zero!" He had me to sit on the couch and close my eyes. And I do so, still thinking about Gundam models and recalling scenes I loved from the show. After a few seconds, he grabs my left hand and sits something round in it. When I opened my eyes, there was a green plastic ball with a yellow bag inside of it. I was confused because it was gacha ball. Figures that come in these things are small and already hidden by the packaging it comes in…so the yellow bag threw me off. But, I went with it. I opened the ball, removed the bag and... I started crying. I'm talking about that eye stinging type of cry. The type that makes your nose stuff up so you gasp for air through your mouth. There at the bottom of the green ball was a beautiful, silver engagement ring. I kept looking at him with tears and snot rolling down my face and sniffling for air but he looked back at me with so much love and gentleness in his eyes. From there, Jose got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I don't know how he understood my "yes" because I was crying so hard I couldn't breathe! But he got the message and we couldn't be happier.