It's Happening!

It was a late-Spring night in 2018, and we were both hesitantly using Coffee Meets Bagel (a dating app) where we took notice of each other's profile. From our recollection, we wanted to reach out to one another as it was obvious we shared some commonalities. After a week or so of chatting, we decided to go out on a date and go figure - we ended up having Mediterranean.

After two successful dates, we made a plan to hike down to the Rindge Dam in Malibu - which was, and still is, off limits to visitors. We were both talking a big game on our outdoor adventures, and Naveed had proposed hiking to this old dam in Malibu he had first trekked to in 2012 and frequented a few times since. He did mention it would involve some not-so-safe obstacles to get there, but Shelly didn't seem to mind. We parked at a nearby trailhead and proceeded to walk nearly 2 miles against 50 mph oncoming traffic on the windy, two-lane highway that is Malibu Canyon Road - that was step one. Step two was actually hiking down the very faint opening along the road, top-of-slope, where a very clear County of LA sign marked "DO NOT ENTER. VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED" was planted. We both gave each other the nod, and off we went. After hiking down a totally unsafe terrain, getting to the 100-year old corroded step bars, walking along a portion of the dam spillway 100 feet in the air, and making our way down another steep trail, we had finally made it to the base. Looking back at it now, we realize a lot could have gone wrong. But it didn't, and real interest and intrigue of one another grew from there. And we couldn't be happier we took that risk.

Since that epic 3rd date, we've embarked on a basket of adventures that have helped create the foundation of our relationship. We spent NYE 2018 in San Francisco, where we rang in the new year with the best artist of all time - Thievery Corporation. That night was hilarious because after the concert, we were welcomed and subsequently thrown out of the same bar within 30 minutes. 2019 hit different. It would be the first year that we'd spent entirely together - January to December. This also meant holiday scheduling dilemmas would for-sure be taking place. We went to Disneyland for our first time as a couple (we aren't Disney park people whatsoever - shout out Aunti Goli). Living by the beach was a huge plus and we were able to experience all the best restaurants and local events taking place on 2nd street. We also went to Vegas together, which was an experience in itself. The party bus rental for Naveed's birthday was also a fun little adventure. 2020-2021 brought us new challenges, as Covid living was the new normal. Luckily, Michelle decided she would split germs with Naveed and spend some quality hunker time with him on Granada. We took our first road trip that July, going to all these beautiful places in the west & mountain regions of the US, including Kanab, Moab, Bryce National Park, Salt Lake City, Jackson Hole, Yellowstone National Park, Mount Rushmore & Denver. This ignited a ton of little weekenders over the next couple of years. During this time, Michelle was offered an amazing job opportunity at her current employer, confirming her start date during our Cancun/Tulum trip. Naveed almost spoiled the trip by getting food poisoning his first day in Tulum, and Michelle had to nurse him back to life while she enjoyed sipping and chilling on a cabana on the beach. We've since taken many trips together, including Hawaii, Washington, Miami, Puerto Vallarta, Oregon (to watch a track meet, of course), Ensenada, Las Vegas (again and again), Arizona, and up and down the east-coast. In 2022, Michelle and Naveed moved in together at Linden, our first condo by the beach in downtown Long Beach. Living together was an easy adjustment, and we then realized life together would be a beautiful thing.

We had planned an east-coast road trip after a friend's wedding in November 2023. We rented a car and headed north from South Carolina with plans to end in New York in a span of two weeks. Various pit stop were made along the way, including a bunch of beautiful universities. We then landed in DC for a few days, and Naveed had set a guided tour date at Georgetown University. We took an Uber from the Hamilton Hotel to Georgetown on Friday November 17th, 2023 to ultimately meet our tour guide. We walked toward the quad in front of Dahlgren Chapel and after a few minutes of waiting, Naveed shockingly let Michelle know that there was no tour, and in fact would actually be asking for her hand in marriage. He got down on one knee and asked the big question....and Michelle happily said yes. Side note: Naveed wasn't lying about meeting someone at Georgetown as he did hire a photographer to capture the entire moment, which turned out perfectly (shout out Aimee).

Michelle comes from Mexican roots on both sides of her family. Her mother, Leonor, is from Jalisco, Mexico, and her father, Hector, is from Colima, Mexico. Naveed is half-Iranian & half-Nicaraguan. Naveed's mother, Cristela, was born in Esteli, Nicaragua, and his father, Mohammad, hails from Rasht, Iran. We're both very proud of our family's ethnic makeup and the various cultures that have shaped our thought-process and understanding of this world.

Kanab, Utah - hands down. We stayed in a little backyard casita for a couple of nights during another 2-week road trip, and it was a lovely start of our vacation. We befriended the house cat, mistakenly ate Vegan food (which ended up being fantastic), went on plenty of outdoor adventures, and almost got stranded in the desert. It was perfect.

We love living in Long Beach and all that in entails: running along the beach path, hanging out with friends nearby, basking in all the foodie pop-ups, picnics on the Bluff, getting the best soup at our favorite Chinese spot, walking to nearby coffee shops, and taking in all the views. We love waking up to homemade breakfast & coffee in the morning. We love talking about things that upset us and things that make us happy. We absolutely love our family & friends. We love putting a smile on people's faces. We love each other.

Love really is an energy - a special kind of energy at that. It's a force you can't physically see or hear, nor is it something that's acute in nature. It's a build-up of cultivated experiences, memories, engagements and communication which are metaphysical metrics that create a bond between two people (Naveed has no idea if this is the actual definition, but he's going with it). There's a reason why we're getting married and it's simple - we've cultivated this energy to a level that elates us. We love being around one another.

I love his curious mind and his deep desire to understand the world. Naveed is disciplined and driven—especially when it comes to the things he's passionate about, like running. I admire how he's always eager to learn, explore, and solve problems with patience and thoughtfulness (even though he goes on deep dives). Naveed's adventurous spirit pushes him beyond the bare minimum—he dreams big and constantly sees the world through a lens of possibility (like moving to a new city every week…). He balances me out—making up for what I lack, keeping me calm in moments of chaos, and helping me stay grounded. But what means the most to me is how Naveed embraces the people I love—my family, my friends—and how he loves me wholeheartedly, and accepts me just as I am.

I love the balance Michelle brings to my life and this world. She's so grounded and caring of others, never putting herself first in anything she does. Her superpower is being aware of what her impacts have on this world. She truly has a soul that's hard to replicate. I love that Michelle finds happiness in all the little things. She can find it on our beach walks, hanging outside on the grass, in a game of Uno, and during our geography quizzes we routinely give each other. I especially love that Michelle reminds me to slow down and smell the roses, which is no easy task. Michelle is a beautiful person who knows how to make life simple.