In September of 2020, I ended up in the COVID dorms on Auburn's campus with 3 other girls. Bored and looking for some amusement, the girls created a profile for me on Bumble, and that's where I started talking to Luis. Meanwhile, Luis had recently had covid restrictions lifted where he was stationed in Ft. Benning with the 75th Ranger Regiment. Excited to finally get out of town, Luis invited me on a date in Auburn. One week after escaping the covid dorms, I met Luis for our first date on October 3rd. We ate subpar Taco Mama on Samford Lawn (I, less-so, as I was quite anxious) and just talked for hours. Though we naturally clicked, our second date is where we really hit it off!

Luis and I discussed our expectations for dating very early on. We both knew we wanted to date with the intent to marry. Luis was very intentional, going out of his way to pursue me with persistence and patience. I needed more time to decide whether I was ready to date, and Luis gave me that time, telling me, however, that eventually he needed an answer. One particular night, December 15, 2020, I realized that I couldn't stand the thought of not being with him. I called him on FaceTime and told him that I finally had an answer. I'll never forget how giddy he was!

Long distance has been a huge part of our relationship, so it's fitting that I take a moment to paint the picture. About a year-and-a-half into our relationship, Luis and I started doing long distance. I had to leave in May 2022 to go study abroad for the summer. My heart broke a little, as I knew it was the beginning of a long and painful road of long distance. Luis and I had always done "medium-distance" at least, as he was stationed just over an hour away from Auburn, and his work schedule was grueling. I didn't anticipate how things would change, however, once I left for those three months. It was quite a rough summer, actually. Many terrible things happened while I was away. I remember coming back from my program feeling very hollow and melancholy. Luis was getting out of the Army, so I only got to see him for a couple of weeks before he drove back home to California. Since then, we have intermittently flown cross-country to see each other (a very costly pastime, we'll put it that way). Our wedding day thus not only marks the beginning of our married lives together, but also the welcomed end to constant goodbyes. Let our vows be the fatal blow to long distance!

Luis flew out to join me for Thanksgiving in Seaside, where he asked for my parents' blessing. The following Sunday, after church, he directed me to the Red Barn in Auburn (a sentimental place for the two of us). He turned me to view the beautiful lake and then back around to him on one knee. He asked me if I would marry him, and I said yes, of course!