August 2020: I'll never forget the moment I encountered Jennifer's profile on Hinge. 1st photo - a grainy selfie of her in a red turtleneck sweater, which I still believe to this day was shot on a Sprint flip-phone from 2005. "Umm..." I thought to myself. "I think she is pretty. But when was this photo taken?" With much confusion from her relying on 15-year-old camera technology, I moved down the profile hoping I could locate a more current day 2nd photo. I quickly scrolled and stumbled upon a picture of her hiking. It was a beautiful landscape photo of what appeared to be Zion or Valley of Fire, with Jennifer the size of a ladybug. I tried to screenshot the photo just so I could zoom in and gain some confirmation. No luck. She elected to use photos that would require CIA technology to enhance and complimented them with the Hinge default questions to build her profile. At this point, I am certain she is a bot. For any men who have attempted the brutally painful online dating process, this was not unusual. I replied to one of her questions about travel, assuming if we matched, I'd get a reply about joining her webcam show. Oh well, it's the middle of a worldwide Pandemic, nothing to lose, I'll give it a chance. WE MATCHED! Within the first set of texts, I was relieved she was not a bot. What I did discover though was she was extremely hesitant about sharing personal information. We exchanged texts daily, but she would withhold context others would consider perfectly normal information. Espionage? Was she a Spy? What do you do for work? -Healthcare Right, but what would you say you do? - I'm not comfortable talking about that To show my complete openness and desire to build a trusting connection I shared a link to my FINRA BrokerCheck which is my professional permanent record. It details my full name, CRD#, current employer, past employers, education, licenses, and any complaints/disclosures made against me. ---She still declined in sharing any further details. *OWNED* Jennifer has always been the best listener. I talked about travel, family, hobbies, current events, relationship goals, core values, and she would reply in agreement with a few added comments, but I still didn't really know what she looked like and wasn't getting the specifics about her that I was hoping for. After about 2.5weeks of texting we decided to set up a call. She initiated and was eager to talk over the phone. It was a Wednesday night after work. I was still working from home, and she had just finished her day in "Healthcare". She had a deeper voice than I expected. A voice that sounded... Hungry. It was a voice that made me think of the scene from Deuce Bigalow: Look, I think there's been a mistake. Did you say steak? No mistake. Oh, now you got me all excited We hung up after talking for a few minutes and I left that conversation still uncertain. I didn't want to appear aggressive; I liked talking to her and didn't want to blow any chances of meeting someday. Without more validation, I was too anxious to ask her out on an official date. Week 3 I got the text - What are your intentions? Where do you see this going? If you want to just talk and be friends that is fine, but I'm not sure you are serious about dating. If you are not interested in meeting me, please let me know so we don't waste any more time. WHAT?!?! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?! I BLEW IT!!!! --Ok Gabe, slow down, reset, you can still save this. Hey Jennifer, I'm sorry if I made you feel that I was uninterested. The total opposite actually. I'd love to meet. How about dinner? We can go for Sushi. Hmm... How about something more casual like Starbucks?  Done. You free this Saturday? We can meet at the Starbucks on Flamingo and 215. That works. :) First Date - Saturday, September 19, 2020 (Credit Card records confirmed)

I met Gabriel on Hinge during the first few months of residency. After a few uneventful and incompatible dates, I received a notification that someone named Gabriel sent me a message. He told me the most exotic place he has been was to Israel. He told me about the Dead Sea, and how the sun appeared like a great ball of fire as he hiked on his trip. He described his trip in detail and with passion. He had a profile with a few photos with his family, and a photo of him in a suit- spiffed up and meaning business. I messaged back. "Please let him be normal, nice, and interested", I thought. Throughout our conversations on Hinge, we chatted about travel, work, hobbies, and our backgrounds. I kept my work and background vague in the beginning to keep things fun, and also for safety reasons. After two and a half weeks of exchanging texts, I had asked him where he saw this going - I told him this was feeling pen pal-y. I asked if he wanted to continue as pen pals if that was his intention. I was hoping my vague comment would result in an invitation to meet up in person. Instead, he provided me his Instagram handle in response. I clarified that I am not interested in being pen pals, I was asking him to meet up! He immediately invited me out for sushi. I love sushi, but he would be afraid of how much sushi I can eat. Dressing up and stuffing rice rolls in my mouth seemed embarrassing at the time. I strategically advised to meet at the Starbucks near my house for our date. We eventually met at the Starbucks and ordered a few drinks - latte and cold brew. We both removed our masks -- he had an endearing smile. We talked about work, family, our childhood. Gabriel is a master conversationalist. I felt comfortable sharing details of my life with him. I would later tell him he could sell me a couch if he wanted to. He was more than "normal, nice, and interested". Although it was our first date, our drinks were finished before we knew it. We had to extend our date --I certainly do not want to be "penpals" now. Gabriel invited me for saucy, messy, but delicious fish tacos at the bar across the street the same day, to which I eagerly agreed.

September 2020: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Sitting at Starbucks with my mask on - she enters. I stand. I look at her, she looks at me, and we are locked in sight. We slide down our KN95s praying that the other wasn't fishing. I couldn't really tell what she looked like from the photos on Hinge. (Reference Prior Story) Nose exposed... Ok Ok - Nose is looking good. Upper lip revealed... that's a good lip, I could love that lip. Mouth and Chin appear - YESSSSS!!! She's beautiful. I smile, she smiles. There's a calm over both of us. We sit. I'll never forget the first moment when I saw her smile. It was pure. It filled me with warmth and still today her smile brings me peace. The date continues and I know that she knows that I know that she knows she likes me and I like her too. This has been really nice do you want grab dinner? We can go across the street to PKWY Tavern for Fish Tacos. She agreed. If we were going to continue to see each other we decided it would be best to meet outdoors. We ate dinner with the ducks at Desert Shores, while a large number of Jewish people wheeled in a Porta Potty, and began to hold a service for Rosh Hashanah. It would be at this moment she finds out I'm Jewish, but definitely not that Jewish. We had our 1st Kiss, 5-dates in, after dinner at Flower Child, because Jennifer wouldn't take down her mask other than for eating. We sat outside DT Summerlin, we went to Mt. Charleston and Red Rock to hike, toured parks, made picnics, and watched movies over the phone from the safety of our home. Covid required us to talk. It required us to be present while we were together. It is the reason our bond is so powerful and it brought 2-distinctly different lives together. While all of this is going on - Jennifer is attending residency and I'm working from home. She is rotating across different specialties and working 12hour days. She is sacrificing everything to make sure others stay healthy. I love this person. I remember the moment I told her. She asked if I was sure. She wanted to be certain. I am still certain. I love this person. Things began to improve and our dates began to flourish. Hotpot, Spa Night, Boba Tea, All You Can Eat. We spent every free moment of our weeks together. I started going to her Mom for dinner, she started coming to my sister's to play with Maverick, Remy, and Lawson. Our families finally met at the only place that made sense... Chinglish. As our relationship was growing and maturing. We wanted to take the next big step. Time for Vacation!

May 2021: Snow Canyon / Kolob Canyon - 1st Vacation One of my clients recommended we take a long weekend and hike the area. It is the entry way into Zion without all the traffic and people. Rich red canyons, incredible overlooks, and a beautiful desert landscape. I pitched the idea to Jennifer and she was so excited. I purchased the hiking boots and she loaded up on sunscreen. We packed up the car - Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew, Snacks, Water and hit the road. We talked a majority of the drive while I had her listen to DMB albums. We explored together, told stories together, and shared goals for our future together. This was when I knew we were forever. July 2021: Med School Friends + Jennifer's Bday - The Test I passed my first friends test with Elizabeth, Denise, and Nhi at Master Kim's Korean BBQ. They grilled me more than the beef. Next would be her Cali crew. We stayed in Pasadena and met up with Sara, Christine, and Daisy and ate everything. We met Sara and Daisy first at a random Chinese Restaurant in SGV. The food was excellent and a perfect complement to the company. We talked about their life during med school, challenges in residency, and career aspirations. The next day we went to the Getty and met Christine. The artwork and gardens were spectacular. You can see mansions scattered across the hills and views of the city. Show me your friends and I'll show you who you will become. All of Jennifer's friends are positive influences in her life. They support, defend, and care dearly about her. Them seemed to think I was safe and didn't present murder vibes. GRADE: A+. September 2021: Staycation at Wynn - Anniversary 1 I surprised Jennifer, told her to pack a bag, and what to bring because it was time to go. She was guessing the entire drive where we were going. GPS starts to route to the strip, now she's getting warmer. I exit the highway and we close in on our final destination. She already guessed it minutes prior, but I wouldn't confirm or deny. We had a room at the Encore with great views, stayed out at the pool, and had our Year 1 Anniversary dinner at the Paris Hotel. February 2022: San Francisco + Napa - Meeting Grandma + Uncles Our first flight based vacation. We're going to SF to see the family for Chinese New Year and tour around. I had never been to SF and a large number of clients quoted Fox News Reports on the dangers of San Francisco when they found out I was going. I was prepared for a warzone. I loved my time in SF. We stayed at the Kensington Park Hotel near Union Square. I practiced my Kung Hei Fat Choi for when I met Grandma. I remember how happy she was to hear it. We took Grandma, Andy, and Jackie for Dim Sum where I learned the responsibilities of pouring tea and how to thank someone when they pour for you. We walked through China Town, spent a day at Golden Gate Park, drove to Muir Woods, and sampled wines in Napa.

February 2022: I asked her to move in, because I wanted every day to begin and end with her. Jennifer was incredibly patient as we slowly turned my house into our home. Our first attempts to decorate were at RC Willey in February 2021. It started with a TV. I only had 1-TV in the house. It was located in my office because I spent most of my time working and gaming in that room. When Jennifer came over, we would set up in my office and watch movies. I had 1-black leather Big&Tall office chair and would drag in a chair from my kitchen table. I tried to give her the good chair, but she would never allow it. Knowing how uncomfortable this chair situation was for her I started dressing up the chair in blankets and pillows to try and give Jennifer a more elegant arrangement. It was embarrassing, but she never complained. After researching every TV that existed across various price points I decided to consult my close friend Stephen. He has been involved in every major purchase and moment in my post college life. We went to Costco together and decided on an LG OLED. We have spent so much time laughing, crying, and binging movies/tv shows together ever since. The next required purchase was a mattress. Every night she would roll into the divot. The mattress was getting so old it literally was indented in the middle, creating a taco like sleeping experience. It was great for a solo, but I'm a hot sleeper and she was starting to encroach on my side of the bed. She loved immersing herself into that divot. She could rely on me for warmth, cuddle up to me, crowd my space, and suffocate me. After each sleep she would complain about her back pain, I would complain about sweating to death, and we agreed it was time to get a new bed. Similar to the extensive TV analysis, I would have to look, feel, and experience every mattress and bed set on the market. RC Willey, IKEA, Tempur-Pedic, RC Willey again, until my Aunt Teri told me to just go get a Sleep Number. We found our way to Sleep Number and they put us through the "find your number" process. It was amazing. It was also memorial weekend. The deals were too good, and her smile was too noticeable. We looked over all the different models, fabrics, sizes, and after hours of deliberation we decided to return and invest in our sleep. Still to this day she rolls over to my side and encroaches. There is no divot anymore. Now she just claims I'm magnetic. We made frequent purchases from HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, and Amazon to add decor, color, and life to our home, but there was 1-thing that Jennifer felt needed to die. It existed in my mother's house when I was in High School. It was a bed for Sam, Greg, Jason, Danny, Cooper and Daisy, and me. It was brown, rough, would make Jennifer sink, and be the cause of so much back pain. It was the damn Heavenly Lights couch. And so, the search begins. Years would go by, and a couch was still not purchased. YEARS. Why? You ask. Because I couldn't find anything I liked and honestly, it wasn't that bad. (It was that bad) West Elm, Ethan Allen, Bassette, Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, RH, Walker, Ashley, Living Spaces, IKEA, RC Willey, Bob's, LoveSac, Wayfair, Overstock, you name it I shopped it, multiple times. I once dragged Jennifer to 5-stores on a single Saturday. By the last one she just stayed in the car while I ran through the place sitting on stuff. Finally, Shirley offered for us to come over and sample her Costco couch. Actually, not a bad couch. A little firm, but not bad. It was Black Friday 2024 and Jennifer, and I were shopping online together. We were on Costco's website when I saw the couch listed. It was discounted significantly and selling in the color we wanted. "Just buy it" she said. It's Costco, you can always return it. I bought it. We love it. Only took 2.5years. I love how our relationship has progressed over such simple and obvious purchases.

July 2022: Staycation at Vdara / Spa Life - Jennifer's Bday Pack a bag, here's what to bring. It's time to go. I booked a room at Vdara with views of the Bellagio Fountains. We got couples massages while being served Champagne. This was our first taste of Spa life. We went to Bardot Brasserie for dinner at Aria and window shopped all the stores at The Crystals. July 2022: Duck Creek - Lam Family Getaway Jennifer brought her family out for the weekend to show them the beauty that exists only 3hrs away. Jennifer's Mom brought a palette of food from Costco and we hit the road. I was able connect with them in a much deeper way while we enjoyed hiking waterfalls, eating wings and s'mores, and watching Ip Man. September 2022: Lake Tahoe - Anniversary 2 We found a great lodge in South Tahoe. There was a grocery store across the street and we could load up on way too many snacks, sandwich materials, and beverages for the week. As we packed our gear, Jennifer recommended we fill bags of ice at the hotel machine to keep all of our food cool. It made total sense at the time. We made our way down the Rubicon Trail starting from D.L. Bliss. As the Mule, it's my job to bear the weight of our supplies. I immediately regret the bags of ice, but we must carry on. Midway through I could feel cold water traveling down my back. Recognizing the ice is now melting, we took a break and found our sandwiches enjoying a nice bath. To minimize further flooding we stopped to eat our soggy subs, ditched the remaining ice, and stared out at the beautiful glistening water surrounded by vast mountains and forest. We pushed forward wondering how much further could it possibly be. As we reached peak exhaustion we made it. Finally reaching Vikingsholm at Emerald Bay. ~5mi. So how are we getting back? We just hiked 5mi to get here, there's no chance we're reversing back to do it again. Water running low, we refilled at a campsite, looked up and there were people heading down from a parking lot above. We had no cell service, but I was deliriously convinced we could catch an Uber from there. The hike up to the parking lot was a grueling ~1mi steep incline and sidewinder trail that lasted what seemed like forever. Each step had us fearful that if we couldn't hail a ride, we'd have to literally hike down and catch the trail back, hitchhike, or just walk the highway to D.L. Bliss. I am checking my phone constantly and still no service. We reached the top and I had a single bar, no 2-bars, nope it's back to 1-bar now. I launched Uber and the load time had me in a state of panic. The force would be with us as there were numerous nearby drivers and a black Mercedes Benz arrived to take us to our Graceland. Smelly, sweaty, dirty, and drained, we enter this kind man's luxury vehicle as he navigates us back. It was about a 7minute drive, best $25 ever spent. Thinking we would take the rest of the vacation easy we went to Incline Village to kayak along the lake. Tandem kayaking almost killed us. We could not stay in sync - constantly hitting each others paddles and drifting further away from shore. I eventually asked Jennifer to stop paddling so I could navigate us safely. The sights were magnificent, but I was overconfident in my desire to explore. Paddling miles ended up creating the same doom realization of having to eventually turn back. This trip was a landmark in our relationship. We told stories of pain and joy, discussed personal and professional goals, shared visions of the future, defined family values, and realized we should probably do less on our next vacations. And by less, I meant more.

August 2023: EU Trip - Barcelona, Marseille, Nice, Florence, Genoa, Rome, Capri, Paris, Mont-Saint Michel, Versailles, Loire Valley - Residency Graduation / Anniversary 3 We celebrated the completion of residency with a 3-week international vacation. Gabe knew a cruise planner who found us a ridiculous Celebrity Cruise deal with WIFI, unlimited drinks, and a balcony room. We researched on TripAdvisor, Yelp, YouTube, and personal blogs about the places we should visit at every single stop. We planned our daily itinerary carefully on Excel and Google Maps. We each sat at our computers mapping trains, buses, and walking paths maximizing points of interest to create the shortest duration between each stop. The goal - to fully explore the beauty each location provided. The trip became a scavenger hunt as we completed all the tasks on our list. The only anxiety throughout our adventure was not missing our return time to get back on the ship. Every morning, Gabe required 2-doubleshots of espresso from the cruise café. Once the espresso kicked in, Gabe would say "Boo, we gotta go". Our daily adventure begins! We brought water canteens and our trusty anti-theft cross bags. I carried the itinerary, tickets, and passes, while Gabe managed our time and photography. We ate and drank all the staples everywhere we went. Tapas and sangria in Barcelona. Fresh seafood and wine in South France. Florentine Steak in Florence. Pesto in Genoa. Carbonara in Rome. Pizza, Gelato, and Limoncello in Capri/Naples. We wandered through the streets, toured churches, hiked cliffside trails, and stood at the top of each city gazing out upon their breathtaking sceneries. We ran to train stations, climbed literally 1000s of steps, and chased after a bus in Nice. (Sorry for being late Eli and Nathalie) We swam and laid on beaches, visited museums, and questioned how humans could possibly create such incredible architecture 1000s of years ago. We averaged 15K steps per day and returned to the cruise smelling like sunscreen, ocean, and ass. One time we smelled so bad that our Uber driver dabbed perfume in his nostrils, basically huffing to survive. Every night, we were so hungry we would ask our waitress for "1-of each please". After the cruise we flew to Paris. We visited the Louvre and the base of the Eiffel Tower. We explored the grounds and Palaces at Versailles. We took a day trip to Mont-Saint Michel. We went to wine country in the Loire Valley, and Gabe drove a Renault for the first time. November 2023: San Diego - Milano Family Thanksgiving It was the 1st time traveling with Gabe's family or as he calls them, "The loud family". Gabe's Mom found a house in Mission Beach and he and his sister surprised her with a family photoshoot. We cooked together, played Uno, 100 games of Monopoly (Maverick won them all), and walked along the beach. They made me feel comfortable being my quiet self, told me how much they loved me, and how I was the greatest thing to ever happen to Gabe. July 2024: Portland - See Our Proposal November 2024: Maui - Anniversary 4 + CME The "pre-moon". I maximized my allowance for CME this year and extended for another five days afterward. We asked our coworkers and received excellent recommendations - Mama's Fish House, Sandy's Banana Bread, Coconut's, Nalu's, and to reserve excursions covered by our resort fee. We organized our day based on the region of the island. Infinite amounts of poke, spam musubi, and rainbows. We hiked, snorkeled, spotted flying fish, a whale, and dolphins on our tour. Gabe swam out from the beach to a rocky cliff and experienced his first -- and only-- cliff jump. I was freaking out the entire time as he disappeared from view and took his leap of faith. Gabe drove the Road to Hana, this dangerous winding road along the island, as we explored different scenic points throughout. The world is a beautiful place and I'm glad we can explore it together.

On my birthday week in July, we decided to go to Oregon. Neither of us have been there before, but we would like to explore the waterfalls and its famous Cannon Beach. We hiked the Trail of Ten Falls an 8mi loop encountering 10-individual waterfalls. During this hike we talked about random things, family, and he also asked how I would like to be proposed to. We previously talked about a proposal - I told him I imagined being proposed to on a quiet beach, without friends or family around. He wanted to know if it would be appropriate to ask my mom for permission - maybe surprise her by having my brother take her out to lunch at a nice place like Vintner Grill. As she walks in, she sees Gabe sitting at a table, holding a bouquet of flowers, with a ring box in hand. My brother could help translate and Gabe could present the ring to her for approval. "That sounds nice, and I am sure my mom would be happy if you did that," I told him. The day after the hike, Gabe drove us to Cannon Beach. We walked for an hour or so enjoying the massive rock formations extending out from the ocean. While we toured this mountainous beach the fog started to roll in. Gabriel said he wanted to explore the Oregon Coast Highway - that he heard there are beautiful vistas and view points as we drive back to Portland. This was not in our itinerary. This was a strange detour. Gabe was being spontaneous...? (Reminder: Gabe is rarely spontaneous. If it's not planned, it doesn't happen) He said this may be the only time we will drive out this way, we likely wouldn't be back for a while so we should carpe diem. We drove for an hour and a half along the freeway, with some sort of destination set on the GPS. He claims that this would be a scenic view at the end. Along the way there were a few break off points to take photos. He was right, it was very pretty. The sun is about to set, and the fog has rolled in completely. It felt mystical and eerie as we drove through the mountains with no certain destination, but the setting reminded me of childhood memories in Daly City. I told Gabe we can drive back now, there is no need to go along the entire highway. I looked at Gabe's phone, and the GPS was set to a location 20 minutes away. Gabe said we are almost there. I had no idea where we are going - I just hoped we can get back for dinner. As we neared our arrival - the GPS says "Turn Right". Gabe made an abrupt right off the freeway into a gated neighborhood where he seemed to know the entry code. I had many questions now: Who lives here? Who do you know here? Is there a secret restaurant here? How did you get a code? Gabe only responded by saying "You're asking too many questions" and refused to provide any answers. We parked in the residential parking lot. I hear waves crashing - we are still near the shoreline. Gabe led me down a flight of stairs. Is this what I am thinking? I am certain he is proposing now. Everything seemed to slow down. The stairs led down to a quiet beach. I could hear nothing but the sound of waves. I see a large log in front of us. It was perfectly placed. Private. Quiet. Beach. Gabe ushered me to sit down on the log. As I sat down, Gabe reached into his shorts pocket and knelt down on one knee, asking "Is this private enough for you?" He pulled out a gray box and asked me to marry him. He would later show me videos of my friends congratulating us and also a video of my mother at Vintner Grill with some flowers, my brother filming her approval - everything was pre-recorded and planned. I said yes without hesitation as tears rolled down both of our faces. He would commit to loving me forever. Being by my side forever. And taking care of me forever. I would promise him the same. We celebrated the drive back to Portland by calling our families to inform them - I / SHE SAID YES!! If you made it this far - we appreciate your support. You played a role in our love and we cant wait to see you at the wedding.