We're Getting Married!

After years of dating, they finally matured independently and together so that they were ready to take the leap. So during the 2019 Thanksgiving holiday, Mo asked Natalie's dad for her hand in marriage. He then solicited the help from both sides of the family to help find a ring and prepare for - get this - a 90's Christmas themed engagement proposal. The key to getting her secluded was enticing her with the opportunity to do a Karaoke song with yours truly, Mo. When he finally got her where he wanted, she was totally take aback when he started saying, "It's been 6 years and I know you are the love of my life....." HER RESPONSE: "Hold up what.....(pause) .......... Yes, Yes!" .....Then he proceeded to get on his knees and ask the actual question.

Our paths collided when our careers as IT Professionals brought us together at a major Oil & Gas company in the city of Houston. Both of us were starting new projects and positioned on the same floor where Mo could oogle me, Natalie, (although not unnoticed). As Mo plotted his move, I (Natalie) cleared a path. Soon after we exchanged numbers, it was a date! We happened to be at the right place in our life that things immediately took off. Now here we are today and we can say it has been an interesting but awesome journey!

So imagine this....I was a "young tenda" as Mo would say, embarking on a new phase in my career. New position. New team. New client and a lot of unknowns. As I was getting settled setting up my new desk area, I noticed that this nice looking chocolate colored guy was oogling me and I found it rather cute. After about the fourth time of him randomly finding reasons to pass my desk (not completely out of the way but definitely not his standard route) I decided to throw him a bone and ask him to help me adjust my desk. You could tell he was relieved. Even though he wasn't much help with establishing my ergonomic setup (i.e. I ended up showing him how to adjust the desk) we did get a chance to get to know each other a little bit. I already knew he was into me but his meek and "want to get things done .... right" attitude also intrigued me. I had a feeling he was different from some of the people I had recently dated. So to be discreet about exchanging digits --- ON MY FIRST DAY --- I asked him if we could exchange numbers after he pinged me from his desk. Shortly after we exchanged numbers we had a date set for that Friday. Despite being nervous about how in the world I was going to have a no hassle date while being on the Daniels Fast, we actually hit it off well. On the date, we discovered we had A LOT in common including being the first born, our career interests, our role in our families, and even how often we lost our keys.

It was Monday November 11, 2013. I still remember that day. I walked into the Shell building where I was being assigned to work on a new project. I had already been there a few weeks but was still learning my way around the building. I don’t remember what I went to do, but if I had to guess, it was probably to go to the restroom. On my way back, I see a beautiful young lady sitting at her desk. It appeared she was unpacking. Immediately, I said to myself, "Who is that? I have never seen her on this floor." Then I said to myself, stop and introduce yourself, but didn’t because was too scared. So I walked away. For some reason, one of my co-workers started telling me about a girl he thought would be good for me. He said let me take you to her, but she was not at her desk. He had nothing but good things to say about this girl Natalie who he use to work with. So at this point, I really wanted to talk to her. So I went back and forth, around her desk for about an hour trying to find a way in. At this point, I was concerned that she may be thinking that I was a creeper or something. So I believe, on my third tour of duty by her desk, she bails me out be asking me to help her with her desk. A few days later we went on a date and we hit it off immediately. We had a lot in common. Eventually we began to spend a lot of time together, learning one another. BUT she had one big test she had to pass. She had to be good with my kids. She met them for first time on the Saturday before Super Bowl. I hosted a small party that weekend. It was obvious within the first few minutes of her interacting with the kids that she was going to be ok. As the months passed, she would start working with the kids, teaching them and exposing them to things she thought they needed to know. I would sit back and watch and say, "Yup, she in there. She will be my wife one day."