Our Story
Question
How did you know they were the one you could spend your life with?
Answer
K: Jonathan and I have so much in common. We are both younger siblings, our birthdays are three days apart, we love being out in nature, we share our faith, we are both mixed Asian American, we are both musically and artistically creative and believe in sharing our gifts to help others, we both work in public service, and we both do a lot of volunteer work too. Because of these similarities, he knows where I’m coming from and is incredibly supportive. We often spend hours talking about our various projects, roadblocks, and dreams. He also shares my goofy sense of humor and knows how to make me laugh. We make a really good team. J: Through our conversations and interactions, it became more and more evident that Kristi was the one I wanted to be with. It was easy to be myself without pretense or concern of judgement – which never happens. Since the beginning, I’ve always known that I was understood. Culturally, spiritually, socially, I was seen – and I could tell she felt that same assuredness. From there, I knew that any fun or conflict we might have going forward would always be from a place of understanding and freedom.
Question
In what ways have you changed since you met?
Answer
K: I moved to Bonita, which is 15 minutes from the border and a part of San Diego County that I had never been to, let alone thought I would ever call home. We picked it because Jonathan’s school is nearby and I wanted a change of scenery. As for some other fun changes, Jonathan introduced me to listening to albums from start to finish instead of on shuffle, watching shows on a 60” screen rather than on my tiny laptop, and learning how to read chords and play the ‘ukulele. J: It’s less of change than it is growth. To all who know me, it’s no surprise that Kristi is the organized one. I like the idea of organization, but Kristi puts it in practice. Kristi is also into comfy clothing. For me, when I wake up, it’s work time. Give me the rugged aesthetic any day! With that, slowly, both of these qualities have been seeping into my framework – and for the better! It’s less of the cliche that “she completes me,” and more of “I’ve learned so much from her!”
Question
If your love story started as a tiny spark, what made it turn into a full-on heart-eyes moment?
Answer
K: Just a month after we met, Jonathan invited me to his elementary school’s Variety Show. As a teacher, he helps run an after school program where kids get to perform whatever they’d like. They sing pop songs, create dance routines, tell jokes, and more. The whole time, Jonathan is running around and making sure it all goes smoothly. I felt honored that he invited me into his world… and yes there were some kids staring at me asking if I was his girlfriend lol. But what I saw is he is a leader in his community and loves giving others the opportunity to shine. J: On our fourth date, Kristi and I went to the Mingei International Museum. There were so many moments on that date that made me realize “I… really like this person.” But the kicker was at the end: in the stairwell was a guestbook. We wrote our name and did our due diligence. Afterwards, Kristi began doodling in the corner based off the artwork we had just seen, and magnetically I followed adding onto her art. There was no pretense. No judgment. Just pure improvisation flowing from the fun and joy of being with one another. I was in awe of how easy I could be my child-like self with her.
Question
What small detail, inside joke, or early habit still makes you smile and think, “Yep - this is it”?
Answer
K: Early on, we went to Big Bear and got stuck in terrible traffic. Jonathan loves using his steering wheel as a drum and I also love drumming back from when I played taiko. That day, we had an elaborate car drum session that was so in sync and all just improvising off of one another. We still drum a lot on and it’s fun to have a duet partner. J: To add onto Kristi’s car story, there was another moment in Yellowstone where we were held in traffic – I think because of bison crossing or such. To pass the time, we decided to play a couple games. One was Arthur trivia (which in and of itself makes me smile), but the other was “Can you read my mind? See if you can sing the note I have in my head!” First off, who does that? Second off, how is our win-loss ratio ~33%? That’s wildly good!
