It's finally happening!

Leti’s Version: I first met Sergio in December 2016 thanks to Greek life and our memberships in Sigma Lambda Gamma and Sigma Lambda Beta. We were both in San Antonio that weekend for my sorority’s New Member Presentation. We were briefly introduced at a club party by Sergio’s fraternity Big Brother who I was good friends with thanks to us both crossing the same semester. By brief I mean veryyyyyy brief since at the time I was living my best single life and couldn’t be bothered. I was spending the weekend with my sorority sister, Abby, at her apartment. I skipped out on the after party that night and fell asleep in her bed. Sergio and his fraternity brothers’ housing plans for that night fell through, and Abby was nice enough to make them sandwiches and let them sleep on her living room floor. I didn’t find out about this until later that morning when I woke up, by which time they had already left. It wouldn’t be until a few months later that I actually gave Sergio the time of day. Sergio’s Version: I met Leti in February 2017 at a BBQ Benefit my fraternity brothers were having for a brother who had passed away. Leti showed up decked out in UT sweats from head-to-toe and had her hair down, naturally curly. She immediately caught my eye. Me being me, I went up to her and made a sarcastic comment, saying to her that I “wonder[ed] where she went to school because I [couldn’t] tell.” Anyone who knows Leti knows how sarcastic she is, and of course she had a comeback right away for me, asking where I went and then making a mocking little gator with her hands for the UHD mascot. She stole my heart right then and there; it was love at first smack talk. She wasn’t there for long, and when she left, I asked my Big about her because I knew they knew each other. He told me very plainly that I didn’t stand a chance with her, and again, me being me, I thought #ChallengeAccepted.

March 2017 was when Sergio and I began to see a little more of each other. One night after the Luke Bryan concert at the Rodeo, I met up with him and some other mutual friends at Whiskey River to continue the night of country music and dancing. As someone who loves to dance, I appreciated Sergio’s willingness to be my go-to dance partner that night. Sergio began to invite me out whenever he and other friends would go out dancing, whether it was a weekend to celebrate a birthday or their famous Crown Thursdays. After we would finish a dance, we would usually hug and then walk off the dance floor. During the summer months, he began to kiss me on the cheek along with the hug, which gave me an inkling he may have been wanting more than friendship.

Fast forward to a Thursday night in September 2017. I had volleyball team pictures that day, so I was actually a little more put together than usual. Sergio had invited me to meet him at Whiskey River that night as some of his friends were celebrating a birthday. I wasn’t sure if I would go since I had to work a football game that night, but as fate would have it, the game was a slow one where I didn’t get too sweaty and actually got out at a reasonable enough time. I quickly went home, changed, and headed out to Whiskey River. When Sergio finally showed up (because of course I beat him there), he was in a very good and relaxed mood thanks to whatever liquid courage he had chosen to pre-game with. That night he was extraaaaaa flirty with me, beginning to hold my hand and even trying to kiss me. He even bought me a flower from someone who was selling them inside. While we were dancing, he kept trying to kiss me, but I kept turning my cheek to dodge them. Later in the night, I finally just said “Screw it!” and decided to kiss him back.

After that night, Sergio and I started seeing more of each other. We would go out on dinner dates, I would cook for us, or we’d spend time at each other’s places. He was even brave enough to come to my school and get grilled by my very protective 8th grade volleyball players. We were “unofficially official” for over a year while he was “playing his games and on his bs” as I like to say, or as he will say, “taking his time to make sure I was for real and things were right”. On March 17, 2019, Sergio took me to see George Strait at the Rodeo. We got there early to enjoy some pre-concert festivities. While we waited to go to our seats, he finally decided that it was time to officially ask me to be his girlfriend.

Over the years that we have been together, we have experienced many milestones and made countless memories together. Sparty, Sergio's dog, quickly took to me and even “betrayed” Sergio by becoming a very spoiled momma’s boy. Both of our love for sports strengthened our relationship and gave us plenty of game date nights. We attended countless sporting events, from Sergio experiencing his first College Game Day in person and Texas Longhorn game to attending multiple Rockets and Texans playoff games and even getting to see the Astro's in not just one but two World Series games. The Rodeo remained another staple of date nights/ days. We made our way to Colorado and Mexico as part of our first bigger trips together. 2021 was a big and eventful year for us: We survived catching Covid on my 30th birthday and welcomed in the New Year by being quarantined together in my room at my apartment. We celebrated the love of family members and friends at several weddings, during which I managed to catch THREE bouquets (#ChallengeAccepted Sergio). In April, we purchased our house. In September, our little family grew by four paws as we rescued our second dog, Nala. And then in December came…

We had planned to take a trip to Harry Potter World and Disney in Orlando, Florida in 2020 to celebrate my 30th birthday, but the trip was postponed due to the pandemic and all the restrictions. We decided to take the trip in December 2021 as a belated 30th/ early 31st birthday trip. Anyone who knows me knows what a huge Harry Potter fan I am, which is why this trip was even more special and magical. Our first stop was Universal Studios, home of Harry Potter World, on Friday, December 3rd. We got there early in the morning, seeing some of the sights before going on our first ride of the day inside of the Hogwarts Castle. After the ride, Sergio asked a worker to “take pictures of us” in front of the castle. Immediately after the "picture" was taken, he dropped to one knee and asked me to marry him! And of course, I said yes!