One of the many inspiring things about Laura and Omar’s relationship is that its catalyst was a passion they share - service to Christ and their community. An innocent friendship that blossomed into an enduring love began while teaching children in their church about missions. Omar knew soon that his feelings for Laura were special, so he took a leap of faith. In the fall of 2017, he asked her out on what would soon be their first date! It wasn’t difficult for Laura to fall for Omar’s tenderness and vulnerability. On this date, they took a “tour” through Omar’s childhood, which included visiting the Fruteria Cano (an East Dallas staple), and walking through the Dallas Museum of Art (which ultimately led to a last-minute movie date decision to watch Fast & the Furious instead). Months passed and they began to play an emotional yo-yo of sorts: Omar would express interest, and Laura would insist that things wouldn’t work. Then mutual admiration would bring them together again, until things would seemingly dissipate - but never for long. On April 3rd of 2018, Omar decided to ensure that they established something more permanent. After an Italian dinner, the pair decided to stroll through an interesting setting for a romantic rendezvous - their local Target. They opened up pints of Halo Top ice cream and walked around having amazing conversation. Maybe it was the Italian in her belly, maybe it was the joy that Halo Top ice cream and the Target dollar section bring, but something shifted. It was that unassuming night that Omar and Laura officially began a relationship, and Omar asked Laura to be his girlfriend. She finally said yes!

It all started simply enough, on a regular Sunday morning. After church, Omar asked Laura to stay in her church clothes, rather than changing into her more casual attire. Laura felt frustrated (and uncomfortable), but was temporarily reassured by a calm “trust me.” After lunch, Laura asked if she could go home and change, before attending small group at someone’s home. Omar again said no - and this is where things took a turn. Now, Omar was very clear on Laura’s preferences when it came down to the proposal: 1) Her nails had to be done and 2) She had to be dressed nicely. So, in Omar’s head, he was simply trying to do the right thing and give his future fiancee the perfect day! Laura’s mind was elsewhere, however. Why couldn’t she change? Didn’t he understand she was uncomfortable? Did he KNOW the many intricacies and pains involved with a woman getting dressed up? After Omar insisted that there would be a special dinner later that night, Laura went on to small group - dressed up and looking lovely. After leaving the house, she drove straight home. Little did she know that Omar had been there for some time already, with family and close friends helping him set up and pull off Laura’s dream. As she pulled up to her house, her then-boyfriend met her at her car door and led her to the backyard. She recognized the big white tent that was set up, left over from her earlier birthday celebration, but the tea lights and small cards creating a path towards it were definitely new. As Laura caught a glimpse of Omar’s cousin taking pictures, she quickly put the pieces together and the butterflies in her stomach were in full effect. This matched Omar’s energy, as the calm he had felt up to that point had changed to an excited nervousness that could only be understood by a person about to propose to the love of their life...

As the lovebirds made their way up the path, Laura realized that the cards were full of 52 memories they had made together - a gift she had presented to Omar on their first dating anniversary. All Laura can remember hearing is bits of their love story being read to her, by her very own Prince Charming. The fairytale continued, as the path led to a large heart made of candles and rose petals, while the rest of the tent was filled with pictures, flowers, and various desserts. This was the moment. As Omar filled Laura’s ears and heart with beautiful words (complete with a necessary “Friends” quote), he pulled a ring box right from the center of the bouquet she was holding! He got down on one knee and felt Laura’s hand trembling as the biggest smile he had ever seen her give was planted firmly on her face. His nerves faded away as he delivered his most important line: “Laura Melissa Jimenez Tapias, will you marry me?” A kiss and a tender hug later, Omar confirmed with a loud “she said YES!” Before Laura could blink, their friends and family rushed inside the tent from where they had been patiently waiting - smiling, hugging, yelling, and congratulating the happy couple. Laura was ecstatic and felt like every positive emotion that she had ever experienced had been bottled up and released in that very moment. That energy was mirrored by their loved ones, as music was blasted and the environment felt warm and celebratory. Possibly the only feeling that could top both the joy from their loved ones and Omar’s immense relief that everything had gone according to plan, was the deep love they both felt in that moment - knowing that they had taken another big step towards their future together. On January 5th, 2020, Laura and Omar were engaged!