As you may know, Austin and I both attended and met at Boston University despite growing up 30 minutes away from each other in Southern California. In September 2015 we both found ourselves at a freshman social riverboat tour on the Charles River. While enjoying the beautiful fall weather, I turned around and noticed a lanyard from Servite High School attached to the cute boy sitting behind me. I struck up a conversation and was amazed that Austin attended high school with so many people that I had grown up with, and that I encountered him 3000 miles from home. We were friends for the rest of college and beyond, commiserating over the lack of good Mexican food in Boston and trying to get away with wearing shorts outside even in the dead of winter. We also got together in California over the summers, starting the tradition of eating burritos on the sand in Seal Beach (which is still one of our favorite activities). After BU, I found myself back in California preparing for PA school and Austin became a FOCUS missionary on Long Island, but we kept up the beach + burritos tradition and frequently caught up on what we were up to. We had a camping trip planned for January 2021 with a group of friends, but COVID closed all of the CA state campgrounds and Austin was the only person available for the Crystal Cove hike that I set up as a replacement.

I’ll never forget the day I asked her the question that started it all, “Will you go on a date with me?” Like she mentioned above, Sarah had set up a hike with a group of friends towards the end of our Christmas vacation as a last hoorah before everyone went their separate ways. I had just got off a dating fast with FOCUS, the missionary group I was working for at the time, and was determined to ask her out one way or another on this outing. Fortunately, God loves me a lot and everyone she invited came down with COVID that week so it ended up just being us two! I was so excited and prepared a nice little spiel to ask her out. That’s when I learned no matter how much God loves us, He won’t do it all on His own, and still wants us to put in some elbow grease. What I thought was going to be a nice little nature walk turned into a grueling 8-mile hike that left me gasping for air and drenched in sweat. I played it off cool no doubt and took her to get some smoothies afterwards where I popped the question. With a giddy laugh she gave a very enthusiastic ‘yes’! We went on our first date the day after and the day after that I flew back to NY. We’ve been dating long distance ever since and it’s been so fun and an absolute blessing! I knew I wanted to marry Sarah pretty early on. I remember confessing it to her about a year ago in a parking lot one morning when she had come out to see me play in a tournament. After that, we started talking about the future more seriously, went ring shopping and soon it was my turn to pop the next big question. Now, she didn’t make it easy. Since starting school in Nevada, she’s been hopping around every month to a different state, so I figured I’d have to plan it for a time I knew she’d be home in CA. The only week I could think of so far in advance was Holy Week. I called up her best friend Alison from New York, who I knew I wanted to be apart of this special occasion, and we started our elaborate plan. Of course, Sarah, being the very diligent, observant, and smart woman she is, started to get curious, so Alison and I had to make aliases for each other on our phones. I changed Alison to Andres and made her contact picture a young Keanu Reeves, knowing that Sarah didn’t know what Keanu Reeves looked like (which- with time- I managed to forgive her for). That wasn’t enough though and pretty soon we had to stop sharing our locations with her as well. The next couple of months flew by and before I knew it Saturday, April 8th had come, the big day. She had just flown in the night before and I was very excited and eager knowing she didn’t have a clue as to what was in store for her that day. Luckily, we were celebrating my cousin’s 5th birthday party so I was able to use that as my cover story. I arrived early to her house that day so we could "buy" a present for him on Main Street in Seal Beach. We arrived a bit early so I suggested we take a walk on the beach. It was such a nice day and we were dressed oh so well so I then suggested we take some pictures. She agreed and so I set my phone on the sand, and started to take a video instead. After posing a bit I got down on one knee and asked the love of my life if she would marry me. She answered with perfect Sarah charm, “Sir?! Yes! Sir!” Yes, that was verbatim if you were wondering. Her best friend Alison and my sister Georgia, our paparazzi that day, then came out of hiding to surprise her. Now we’re here and loving every second of it, preparing and counting down the days to our wedding and when we can celebrate our new life with all of you!