Back in the time of dial-up internet, when AOL and MySpace were just beginning, Robert and Stacy crossed paths. They forged a connection online, spending hours chatting and getting to know each other. Over the course of ten years, they continued their friendship through the internet and phone calls, staying in touch despite the miles between them. During this time, Robert joined the Air Force, traveling to places like Maryland, Korea, Japan, and deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Stacy moved to Hawaii to attend college and ended up staying for several years after graduation. Their lives took them in different directions, but their friendship remained a constant. In June of 2013, fate brought them both back to California. Realizing they were finally in the same state after years of long-distance friendship, they decided it was time to meet in person. On February 9th, 2014, Robert and Stacy met for the first time at Victoria Gardens in Rancho Cucamonga. The connection they had nurtured for a decade instantly felt real and undeniable. A week later, on February 14th, they went on their first official date—an ice cream date that marked the beginning of something extraordinary. From that moment on, they’ve been inseparable, building a life filled with love, laughter, and countless adventures. As they say, the rest is history.

After ten years of friendship and another ten years of dating, Robert finally popped the question. Every year we try to take a trip during my spring break, and this year was no different. We decided to go to one of our all-time favorite destinations—Lake Tahoe. Did I think he might propose? Well... I hoped. I had a feeling it was a possibility; we had gone to see settings and diamonds a few months prior. I knew Robert had been deep diving into researching diamonds, and I thought there could be a ring somewhere in our house. But I also thought he may not make it so obvious, and maybe this trip would be one to "throw me off." There are a few places we've been that I thought would be perfect for a proposal. One is the Stateline Lookout Trail, but when we went, it was completely snowed in. I remember thinking to myself, "Guess we're not getting engaged there." Robert had also made plans to go out to a nice dinner, but I knew Robert knew that I wouldn't want to be proposed to in a restaurant, so at that point, I figured there wouldn't be a proposal. Before our dinner, Robert told me that we would be taking the girls (Luna and Honey), and that he had called to make sure it would be okay. I thought it was a little strange but I went with it. Before we got to the restaurant, we made a stop by the beach. I wondered why, and Robert explained that we needed to take the girls to the restroom first, which made sense, so once again, I went with it. As we were walking along the beach, Robert stopped and held my hand. He began to tell me the sweetest things. Before I knew it, Robert was kneeling on one knee, telling me that he wanted to go on adventures together for the rest of our lives, and asking me to marry him. It was the sweetest, most beautiful moment. We spent the rest of the evening celebrating, soaking in the joy of the moment, and dreaming about our future. Lake Tahoe will always hold a special place in our hearts, not just for its natural beauty, but because it’s where we took this next step in our journey together. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with Robert, building more memories and continuing our incredible love story.