How We Met
Yasmani and I met in middle school. We took a biology field trip to the Louisville zoo our freshman year of high school and were inseparable the entire day (it was the first time he held my hand!). After a few weeks, our friends starting asking if we were dating to which both of us replied: “I guess?!” We declared November 4, 2009 as our “official” anniversary of being together. Fast forward 4 years, and we graduated high school with honors and even scholarships to the same university. The beginning of our junior year of undergrad, Yasmani and I rented a 2 bedroom house with our 2 dogs – Kelby and Chance. We always knew we’d get married and start a family of our own, but we were never in any rush; we loved our lives together exactly how they were (we were busy working multiple jobs and going to classes full-time while taking care of “our” home). Today, we’re both graduates with honors from Brescia University working towards our master’s degrees. I couldn’t be happier knowing I have been blessed to love and laugh with my soul mate for over 8 years now!
how they asked
Yasmani and I had been together for over 7 years before he asked. We were young when we met and started dating; he was 15 and I was 14. There was never any rush to get engaged or start a family on our part because we were still kids for the majority of our relationship. However, that’s not to say I wasn’t antsy for him to ask for my hand in marriage! My parents flew in from Arizona to attend our graduation from college. It was an amazing day: the sun was shining (which is unusual for KY that time of year), our friends and family cheered us on watching us walk across the stage to get a diploma we worked so hard for, and we were excited to begin the next chapter of our lives together.
After the graduation ceremony had taken place, we walked to the Riverfront of Smother’s Park to take photos in front of the water feature with our dogs. My fiance’s sister was there waiting for us with both Kelby and Chance on their leashes, and I notice they had new leather collars on that I wanted to get for them for the longest time. Thinking these collars were a graduation gift from Yasmani, I didn’t think much about it…that is until I read what the collars actually said.
So there we were, basking in the sunlight of one of the already greatest days of my life surrounded by my family, his family, and our best friends, and I caught a glimpse of Chance’s collar. On the collar was a gold plaque that read: “Will you marry my daddy?”
I stared at the collar for the longest time, not sure if I was reading the plaque correctly. I had dreamed for the day Yasmani was to propose for many years; in that moment, one of the greatest days became the best day. He got down on one knee, pulled out the engagement ring I had fallen in love with at the age of 16 (he remembered!), and told me “Gracias a ti, hoy soy feliz” which translates to “Thanks to you, I am happy today” and comes from a song we dance to many years prior in high school.
Yasmani and I plan to get married next year in the fall of 2019 in our beloved hometown of Owensboro, KY where it all started.
