December of 2018 both of our lives would change forever when we matched online and spent COUNTLESS hours talking and texting. We even spent New Years with one another (texting).

In early 2019 we had our first date in a small Thai restaurant in Fresno that would seal our fates when I (Brandon) blocked the sunlight from her eyes so we could talk undisturbed, I am thankful she stuck with me despite looking like a hobo that day...

After we graduated in 2019, we started a long distance relationship between Sonora and Fresno, taking trips back and forth visiting one another, meeting family, seeing each other's home towns. Trips to Pinecrest Lake, hot days at the Greek Festival, walks around the various parks, we continued to forge our relationship with one another. But the hardest journey of our relationship was just on the horizon.

December of 2019 I was offered a job in Seattle, Washington for the foreseeable future, one I could not pass up. A difficult decision was made: continue our relationship with even further distance being added. Early January of 2020 we drove up to Seattle and begin a new life of longer distance relationship. Nightly facetimes, monthly trips to one another, we were making it work, but as we all know 2020 was a fated year for all of us.

The pandemic hit Washington fairly early and I moved back to Sonora with remote work being implemented. With so much uncertainty we were unable to see one another in person for some time, before we ended up social distancing from one another in Sonora.

When I say having to social distance from your significant other, unable to hug or kiss them for months despite being SO close to one another, is a difficult thing... well trust us. It was one of the most heartbreaking things, until a brilliant idea came to life to wrap us both in comforters and sheets, hold our breath, and at least hug one another. A memory, a moment, I will never forget!

When it came time for Sammi to get a surgery on her wrist, it was decided to break the social distancing to not only take care of her, but assist with a move. Little did I know it was not only her I was helping move, but unknowingly I was moving out of my parents house at that point.

We have lived together ever since!

A lot has changed since then! We adopted two dogs Stormy and Ponchi, the pandemic finally let up, we have lived in 3 different apartments, oh and got engaged (but if you're reading this, you probably already knew that, now didn't you).

Now you're probably curious how we got engaged, how did I propose to her? Was it some grand scheme or an elaborate plan to wow and amaze her?

Well... that certainly has been the plan at least...

First things first: I designed the ring! Yup, that's right! I found a jeweler nearby who I was able to work with and come up with a design that would wow and amaze the love of my life. The centerpiece diamond was of utmost importance as well, being one of the diamonds from my great grandmother's old ring. But the diamond needed some supplementing elements, some extra diamonds to highlight the centerpiece. This would become both a blessing and a curse.

...come back for the rest of the story later :)

The wait is over! Now where was I....

Ah yes! Diamonds!

2 supplemental diamonds were to be grown in a lab in LA and sent up for the jeweler to work with the setting. We went through a few different iterations of the design, originally it was much more complex and quickly proving to be an manufacturing impossibility without it breaking, but the end product was agreed upon. Now all that remained were those 2 diamonds.

We were told it would take about 1 month until the diamonds were ready, and then a week or two to finish setting them with the rest of the ring. Plenty of time in preparation for my proposal as well!

And then the first delay. The lab required more time to finish growing the diamonds, about 1 more month due to a backlog. No problems, no issues. My plan was still on track, albeit a bit tighter on the timeline, but manageable.

The plan was to propose up in the mountains at Pinecrest Lake. Take a little hike, find a cute spot to sit for food, and propose in the cool mountain air with the wind singing praise of my gentlemanly proposal.

Until we learned there was a shipping delay on the diamonds! A storm had blown through and royally tossled The Grapevine around, making travel from LA to Fresno a bit difficult. No ETA on when they would arrive.

We can shift. We can pivot! That plan was no longer possible with the timeframe, but there was a Renaissance Festival coming up that we were going to with a gaggle of friends. I could find a private moment betwixt the historical merriment where I could pop out the ring, drop to a knee, and do my thing! Easy....

And then the final delay: The jeweler caught Covid! The diamonds had finally arrived, but the pandemic had latched its tendrils on my poor jeweler. Thus, my plans were just thrown out. Two different proposals down the drain. All the planning and preparation out the window.

So I decided to do what any rational person of my age would do and stop planning altogether and just wing it once I got the ring. This ended up being the right play; it allowed the jeweler to recover, take his time on the ring, and finish it in grand fashion!

And then I had it: The Precious (Definitely not a LotR reference, I promise)

New plan: No plan. I would have the ring nearby, close at hand, just incase, you never know.

Then came the fateful day: A regular ol' Sunday.

Sammi had been feeling a bit under the weather, a "meh" sort of day, and we were all having evening family cuddle time on the couch while we watched Bob's Burgers.

Quick preface: Sammi had known for a while now that I WAS going to propose to her, but not when or what the ring would look like. I made sure she knew I was serious about this, but she'd have to just wait until I proposed. This lead to PLENTY of times being asked when I was going to propose, profering her ringless hand to make sure I knew it was missing something, the whole nine yards.

End preface. Back to Bob's Burgers.

I had retrieved a few things for Sammi to help make her feel better on the couch. A pillow, her water, some ice cream, etc. At some point between retrieval of said items, I felt... something? Something. I KNEW I needed the ring with me this evening. We had no plans, but it just... Felt right. So I retrieved the ring from its clever hiding spot: a box of miniatures whose previous residents were sitting unpainted on my desk (IYKYK) and made my way back.

Goodies dropped off, I sat down and asked if there was anything else I could get her. Sammi snuggles up with her pillow, takes a sip of her water, and looks around thinking. Then a sly smile on her face as she raises her left hand and begins wiggling her fourth finger.

"Oh I don't know... MAYBE..."

That was my que.

Months of planning and delays and preparation and depreparation and deplaning were ready to pay off.

With the smoothest slide off of the couch and onto my right knee that you could imagine (just imagine it's elegant, this isn't all DEFINITELY recorded on our security cameras...) I produced the ring from my pocket like a magician does a rabbit from his hat and promptly asked the woman of my dreams, the love of my life, my partner in crime, "Will you marry me?"

To which I received the reply:

"Wait really?"

With the most teary-eyed, flabbergasted expression imaginable, Sammi looked to me in a mix of bewilderment and incredulity.

Well apparently she didn't believe me the first time, so I proffered the question once more.

"Yes silly. So will you marry me?"

Now, dear readers, at this point you are probably wondering something very important. The penultimate part of this whole little tale and why you're here reading this in the first place.

What episode of Bob's Burgers was playing while I proposed to her? Was Gean on another of his escapades? Was Bob once again frustrated with the shenanigans of his loving family? How much wine had Linda had that episode?

You have to keep some mystery in a story right? ;)

As you can guess, Sammi did say yes! She was absolutely blown away and kept asking, somewhat on repeat, if I was serious and eventually after the 7th or 8th time of reassuring her, I think I convinced her I did fully intend on marrying her! We quickly made our way to her parent's house to show off the ring.

Thus kind of lands us where we are now. Planning a wedding! Preparing to see each and everyone of you on our wonderful day. We couldn't have gotten here without all of you to support us, through times thick and thin, and we truly appreciate all YOU have done to be apart of our lives. And as this union becomes official (let's be honest, we have lived together for 4 years, practically have everything EXCEPT a house, and are the parents of two VERY needy pups, we have practically been married for a bit now...) know that we will continue on to make more wonderful memories both between ourselves and with you all.

We love you very much! Can't wait to have one heck of a party.

Love,

Brandon and Sammi