Our story is pretty cute. :) We technically met in our 8th grade History class. The teacher put up a long paragraph on the overhead projector and instructed the class to listen, and not to copy the whole paragraph down. I realized Stephen was quickly trying to copy the whole paragraph and I wanted to help him. I tapped him on the shoulder and whispered, "You know you don't have to write that down, right?" Stephen looked at me and said, "I know, I want to." Even though this was 8th grade, it's crazy how much our first conversation speaks to both of our personalities. I saw someone doing something they were supposed to be doing and wanted to help and Stephen was humbly going above and beyond. I later found out that before this conversation happened, Stephen had saw me at school and told his mom he saw the most beautiful girl. He says he still remembers what I was wearing. We went on to be friends in high school and always ran into each other throughout the years. When we were 22 we reconnected. I had my own apartment right around the corner from his parents house and always saw him walking his dog at the park. So I reached out and told him to tell me the next time he went and I'd meet him there. As soon as I met him at the park, I had butterflies in my stomach and we talked for hours catching up. Stephen took me on our first official date after that, from then on we were inseparable. We made it official on 2.24.2013 and eight years later here we are.

On the morning of January 3rd 2018, Stephen and the rest of the CHP graduating class began their traditional run from the gates of the academy to the steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento. Families and even local news crews came out to celebrate the soon to be CHP officers. When the traditional run started, Stephen passed by me with the biggest smile on his face. Seeing him so happy brought me to tears. I thought he was smiling because he was so proud to have completed the CHP academy, but little did I know he was also smiling because he was about to ask me a very important question. At the top steps of the State Capitol, Stephen called me to the front of the crowd and got down on one knee and proposed. It was the most magical, romantic, and special moment of my life! P.S. The proposal was live on GoodDay Sacramento. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOmAMPK_H7s&feature=youtu.be Your love and friendship have guided and inspired us, we invite you to join us as we exchange our wedding vows. See you in Sacramento!