We're getting married!

It all started with a simple message: "You have a beautiful smile. Would you like to chat a bit?" We chatted back and forth for about a week before I was willing to even give him my number. Then he called me. Not text, but an actual phone call. It was a Friday night. He called around 7 pm and we didn't get off the phone until around 3 am! Both of us were shocked that we could talk so long and not realize how much time had passed. During this conversation he finally asked if I would like to go out on a date with him, to which I said yes, and then we continued to plan out our date night: going to a movie, out to dinner, and then maybe coffee after. We both agreed that the upcoming Friday would work, as he would be getting off work at a decent time (not closing) so we wouldn't have any issues. He bought the movie tickets and let me know that it was good to go!

Movie and a dinner. Sounds simple enough right? Well.... So Friday comes, I am supposed to meet him in the Kroger parking lot then we were going to ride together to the movies (or I could follow him there if I desired instead). I am sitting and waiting, when Jonathan calls to tell me that he is stuck at work still and asked if we wanted to reschedule. I asked how long he thought it would be, as it was a customer getting a new phone and transferring their data over to he new one. He advised it would be about 20 more minutes then he could leave. I agreed to wait... 20 minutes turned into 30, which turned into 45 minutes. The whole time he is texting me saying how sorry he was, that he is embarrassed that it went so horribly wrong, and how he really was looking forward to our date. I told him it was ok and that I was snacking on some rolls and reading so I was not too bored or upset! LOL! Yes I brought a book with me. When he finally showed up, he asked if I still wanted to go see a movie as dinner was out since most places were already closing (it was going on 10 pm at this point)! I was hesitant and he noticed and asked if I would rather just go to his house and he would cook dinner for me and we could watch a movie there. Yes I was worried, but for some reason I did feel at ease around him, and I could not explain that feeling or reason it away. So I followed him to his place, he cooked a chicken meal for me (which was AMAZING!) and we watched SpiderMan: Into the Spiderverse together. We spent so much time talking instead of watching the movie that we've had to watch it several times for me to actually know what happens! But I wouldn't trade those conversations for anything! I learned that we actually grew up in the same area in Denton, kinda traveled in the same circles and same areas, and that we have so much in common!

The first thing I needed was permission. I was in the car driving with Addie and I wanted to make sure I had her permission. I wasn't marrying just Nicole, I was about to take on a 14 year old daughter. After asking Addie, she was excited, but reminded me I needed to get both parents permission. The next person was Lois, who came to visit for a dental trip. While in the car with her, I made my intentions clear, and she reminded me that it wasn't up to her- though she was happy I considered her. She said that I would need to sit down with Brad and have a talk with him about marrying his daughter. I had one last check list to complete the proposal and the timing had to be perfect. Brad was the 2nd to last person I needed to talk to before facing the final test, so the game plan was to get him in a one on one situation. Nicole actually provided the opportunity and while at the Holloway's house he sat at head of the table and I sat on the opposite side. I was the most intimidating and somehow exciting moment to date. After listening to Brad, we came to an agreement and his main concern was the safety and knowing the past, it was a leap of faith on both his part and mine, but he agreed that I could ask. The last objective before asking was ..... I need a ring. I needed to find a ring and not make Nicole's already alerted status. I needed a secret weapon. Thankfully my best friend Michael Castro and his amazing wife Sade Castro helped me get the information on what kind of ring and also ordered the ring for me. The ring came and I had to propose, but the options were, do it on Thanksgiving in front of all of her family members or ..... seize the moment. Addie was not home and I had a video game called It Takes Two. It is a video game about a husband and wife and must be played with 2 players, which Nicole, Addie and myself played the previous night. I placed the ring inside the game and confronted her as if something happened to the game. Worried the game was ruined, Nicole opened the game and realized while she was looking at the game I had gotten on my knee and when she looked at me I asked her, "Just like in the game it takes 2.... will you be my number 2????" Well I guess you know what the answer is because I AM GETTING MARRIED Y'ALL!!!!!