Julio and I first met while he was in college in my hometown. He was working at Metro PCS with my cousin Rico, and the moment Rico’s wife, Juline, met him, she thought of me. She told me, “You need to meet Julio—he’s going to be something special one day.” Determined to make it happen, Juline “forgot” her backpack in my car and sent me to return it while Julio was working. He greeted me with a warm smile as I handed it to him. It wasn’t love at first sight, but it was the first time I saw the man who would one day capture my heart. A few months later, I reached out to Julio for help planning a surprise birthday party for Juline. He gladly agreed, and together we pulled off a beautiful celebration. The very next day, Julio sent me a message saying how much he admired the way I cared for my family. That simple text opened the door to long conversations, laughter, and a connection that quickly deepened. Not long after, he asked me out on our first date. He took me to Topgolf and then to dinner. I still remember sitting across from him that night, completely in awe. Julio was kind, genuine, ambitious—everything I had ever dreamed of in a man. From that moment forward, I knew I didn’t want to let him go. When Julio shared his plans to move across the country to Maryland, I didn’t hesitate. I told him, “I’ll follow you.” And I did. After only six months of knowing each other, I packed up my life and we began a new adventure together. We spent five beautiful years in Maryland, where we grew stronger as a couple, built lifelong friendships, and accomplished so many milestones side by side. Eventually, life brought us back home to Texas, where our journey has continued to blossom. Today, Julio and I stand ready to begin the most sacred chapter of all—receiving the sacrament of matrimony. Our love has carried us across miles, through seasons, and into the life we always dreamed of. We feel incredibly blessed to share this moment with all of you, and to celebrate not only where we’ve been, but the forever that lies ahead.