We Do!

2017- First met 2018- First date 2019- Officially bf/gf 2020- “I love you” 2022- Proposal

For months, I would come home from school and tell my housemates, "I said 'hi' to her today." Some days I didn't have the opportunity or nerve to say anything to Deborah, and those were sad days. This continued for some time (an entire year actually). Finally gaining the courage to ask her to lunch, I walked over to her classroom one morning telling myself that either Deborah was going to be my future wife, or I would have to find another job. She accepted my invitation to burgers and a shake after church, and the HR department never came after me. ~ When I first noticed Dominic at work, I had the strangest feeling he’d play an important role in my life, I just couldn’t pin point what that role would be. So I gave it to God and prayed over Dominic the entire year before he first asked me out. Every reservation/ question I had, the Lord worked out and there isn’t a doubt in my mind Dominic is the man God chose for me.

To celebrate Dominic's birthday, I planned a day trip to Point Reyes. One of our favorite things to do together is explore small towns we've never visited before. The morning was spent antique/ thrift shopping and walking around the scenic costal town. By early mid-afternoon we started thinking about lunch and decided to grab sandwiches and drive to the nearby lighthouse for a beach picnic. Having had breakfast much earlier in the morning, the irritation caused by a lack of food was beginning to swell within me; the crash was imminent. Dominic is always very aware of my energy crashes and he was sensitive to the fact that I needed food FAST. So, onward to the lighthouse we went. Little did we know that our lunchtime destination was about another hour away. I had yet to take a bite out of our sandwiches, and I reached the stage of hangry where I didn't want to talk for fear of being terse. When we finally arrived an hour later, the parking lot was packed and we were directed to turn around. Taking a costal road and maneuvering around a herd of cows, we found a trailhead that looked promising. With the car parked, we walked the trail without speaking. Dominic, too, was feeling the effects of a lack of sustenance. And then, as if to add insult to injury, it started raining! It was at this point in our day that I felt truly miserable. We were deliriously hungry and now getting soaked. I just wanted to tell Dominic, "Let's turn around and go back. I want to go home now." But we trudged along in silence as the rain drops continued to fall. Eventually, we reached the end of the trail and the pathway opened up to a grassy promontory, complete with stunning views of the Pacific Ocean and cliff sides. The rain subsided, and we sat down on the dewy grass to silently eat our now cold sandwiches. After a few minutes Dominic asked if I was feeling better, and I gave him a nod of approval. With my spirits renewed, I got up to take pictures of the landscape. At some point in my picture taking, Dominic started telling me sweet sentiments about how much he loved me -- I'll spare you the mushy stuff. I thanked him and continued to take pictures and videos of our surroundings. I should have been suspicious when he continued on with his explanation of just how much he loved me, but I was too preoccupied. The next thing I knew, he was down on his knee with the ring box open! I’ll admit that I bawled like a baby, I couldn’t help it. He proposed, I said, "Yes," and we cannot wait for our life together!