August 25th 2018 - After a hard Saturday morning workout at our new CrossFit gym, my friend, Biba, and I went to Starbucks to get the widely detested Vegan Protein Coffee Smoothie. I thought it was good, and wanted her to try it. It was there, in line to make our order, we spotted Linh and his best friend, Aldrin, sitting at a table. We recognized them from the gym we had just joined. Aldrin came up to us and introduced himself by stating he ordered the worst drink ever, the new Vegan Protein Coffee Smoothie. I disagreed with his negative review of the drink and told him he just ordered it wrong. (You have to get it without the dates and bananas!) From there, he invited Biba and me to sit with him and Linh. Despite all of Linh's efforts to not talk or make eye contact, we couldn't help but really enjoy their company. The gym quickly became our hang out, which turned into post-workout meals and weekend group plans. For Linh's birthday in September, we decided to all go celebrate at Epcot. The day started with margaritas in Mexico, and by the time we got to the champagne slushies in France, I think we both knew there was something very special between us. It was the beginning of the most magical relationship in the most magical place on earth. Even though I never got anyone else on "Team Vegan Protein Coffee Smoothie", I can't help but be so thankful for Starbucks making that serendipitous drink.

I should preface this story by sharing that Linh and I adore the movie, Christopher Robin. Winnie the Pooh is the epitome of cuteness. We often rattle off quotes from the film, since we have seen it a dozen times together. When we are hungry, we mention the ‘rumbly in our tumblies', apologize by saying "I’m a bear of very little brains.", and love to go on weekend ‘expotitions.’ Trust us, it’s cute. Go watch it. Ok, on to the proposal. On the rare occasion that all of Linh’s family was in Orlando, we made plans on Sun. Nov. 3rd, 2019 to meet them for lunch before his Mom flew back home. Because I caused us to be running late, Linh told the others to kill time at the Leu Botanical Gardens till we got to Orlando. I was really kicking myself, not only for being late, but also, I now had to go to the Botanical Garden before lunch! You see, I had a very large rumbly in my tumbly. Hoping they were almost done when we arrived, I suggested we just wait in the car. Linh insisted we go inside and find them. We rushed through the Garden, me with my head down staring at our map, and Linh on his phone tracking their whereabouts. We stopped in the Bamboo Forest. I took my head out of my map to see a Pooh Bear sitting on a park bench, holding a red balloon. I gasped at Linh and smiled. As I pranced over to Pooh, I realized he had an envelope in his lap, with “Jamie – Open Me”. Now I knew something was very peculiar. Linh said “You better open it.” with a grin on his face. Shaking, I opened the card. A sweet quote of Pooh's was on the front & Linh’s request to go on all of life’s adventures together was inside. I turned around to him on one knee. I think he proposed. I don’t know. My very little brain was frozen from shock by then. When he stopped making words, I said mine, “YES!”. He put the loveliest golden symbol of our love on my ring finger. His family cheered as they all came out from hiding in the forest. It was the most perfect "expotition". And then, we got lunch.