I was in downtown Houston at a festival in Market Square, helping my cousin Holly with her art display. I saw this cute girl writing poems for people on demand, and I decided to get in line and have her write me a poem. I asked for a poem about elephants, and there was an immediate connection — she said she loved elephants. Throughout the night we exchanged a few flirtatious glances but didn’t really talk. Toward the end of the night, I was standing up against a building undergoing renovation (which eventually became “The Honeymoon Cafe!”) and Meggie walked by and she said something like, “Oh, so you’re here?” I said “Yeah, I’m here helping my cousin” — but the conversation ended too quickly. A little while later, I watched Meggie packing up her things into her Jeep to go home. I was bummed and thinking “Shoot, I missed my opportunity.” I got on my bike and started riding away into the night… but then, I mustered up the courage to turn my bike around. I rode up aside her window and gave it two knocks. When she rolled the window down, I said “I don’t usually do this… but… can I get your number?” We exchanged numbers and went our separate ways. Later that night over beers with my cousin, I couldnt resist texting Meggie. She replied with a coy “Who’s this?” Our first date was a few days later.

It was 2013, and I had been single for a looong time. That January, I made a resolution to go on 5 dates. By September, I had gone on a whopping zero dates (!) so I decided to join an online dating website. 1 narcissist, 1 racist, and 2 more dreamboats later, I was 4 dates into 2013 with no luck. I was volunteering with a literary arts nonprofit as a poetry busker, writing poems on the spot at festivals and events. One night in mid-October, I was downtown busking with my friend Karie. It was unbelievably humid (thanks, Houston), and I was sweating through all of my clothes. We were inundated with poem requests and our line was growing. Karie was trying to come up with a word that rhymed with “baba ghanoush” for a poem about vegetarianism when I yelled above the crowd that it was “handwritten haikus only” going forward. When I heard a deep voice ask for a poem about elephants, I looked up and saw Keagan for the first time. Of all the topics he could have asked for a poem about, he chose elephants — my favorite! I quickly scribbled a poem and fumbled for something to say to this really cute guy, but the line was so long and I had to keep going. The night went fast and I kept looking for Keagan in the crowd. I wanted to ask him out, but I was SO sweaty and totally nervous. Before long, it was time to go. I was walking to the parking garage when I saw him, and I awkwardly tried to make conversation, kicking myself for not being more courageous. Once I got my car, I drove back to the table to pack up our supplies. As Karie and I loaded the car, I watched Keagan on his bike ride away in the opposite direction. My heart sank. “I should have been brave,” I thought, but it was too late. I turned on the car and literally had my hand on the gear shift when I heard a knock on the window. I couldn’t believe it. I rolled down the window and Keagan asked for my number. My fifth date of 2013 was my first date with Keagan — and that was the beginning of the rest of my life.

For almost two years, I had a ring given to me by Meggie’s mother that belonged to Nanni. It was burning a hole in my pocket. I had been searching for the right time to ask Meggie to marry me, and I thought our vacation in Costa Rica in October 2019 would be the perfect opportunity. I packed the ring safely at the bottom of my carry-on. In Costa Rica, I was waiting for the most beautiful place and time to ask Meggie to be my wife. On the evening of our 6th night, we were going to go watch the sunset at Punta Uva. Meggie was getting in the car and I said “Wait, let me go grab some things.” I put the ring in my backpack and we went on our way. After a beautiful swim, we were sitting on the beach having some drinks and watching the sun set over the mountains. I reached behind me and dug through my bag. And I said, “Meggie, there’s been something I’ve been meaning to ask you. Will you marry me?” She couldn’t quite get the words out because she was so excited: “Absolutely!”

In October of 2019, Keagan and I had been together for 6 years, most of which were long-distance. Every other weekend for more than four years, one of us would get in the car and drive 4-5 hours to either Denton or Houston so that we could spend 2 days together, then drive 4-5 hours back. It was SO HARD, and we were so steadfast, and I will always be proud of us for that season. But after literally hundreds of roadtrips, thousands of miles logged, and countless FaceTime calls, Keagan finally got transferred back to Houston. With lots to celebrate, we planned a trip to Costa Rica over my birthday. The whole time I was hoping that Keagan would propose. I knew he had the ring, and I didn’t want to get my hopes up — but my hopes were up (and had been up for a while!). The day of my birthday came and went, but no proposal. I was secretly crushed, and really trying not to be. I didn’t want to ruin our vacation by being sad, and I tried to brush it off but I was definitely bummed. Four nights later, we decided to go to our favorite beach and watch the sunset. As we were packing our car, Keagan suddenly declared that he needed to “get his backpack” and “pack some things” — and that’s when I knew: KEAGAN DOESN’T HAVE “THINGS!” He NEVER packs “things.” I’m the only one who is always shlepping everything around — so what are these “things?!” There I was, getting my hopes up (WAY up). We went to our favorite spot and sat down in the sand facing the sunset. Suddenly I heard Keagan rummaging like a squirrel through his bag … and I was so excited. I didn’t turn around, but I started smiling. “Meggie, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you.” I don’t remember what happened after that — I think I may have screamed a bit, or just burst into laughter. But it was perfect. And of course I said YES.