Our story began in 2013 when we met in college (Go Beach!). Even though we had many mutual friends, we had never found ourselves together in the same social circle at the same time. Although I, Sean, was introduced to her twice by some friends, Bree cannot remember those instances for the life of her. Coincidentally, we were pursuing the same major and we crossed paths again at an educational conference in Sacramento, California. Sure enough, we were both staying at the same hotel as well. Bree, in true Bree Muñoz fashion, yelled at me from the third story of the hotel after I saved her friend from being locked out of her hotel room. Bree yelled, “Are you Mr. O’Neill?? Give me my friend back!” The aggressiveness and feistiness in which she spoke to me instantly intrigued me and I was hooked. It was our third time meeting but we had never had this level of interaction and it was under the craziest of circumstances. This time was different though, as we were instantly drawn to each other. Over the coming months, we would become close friends. We would indulge in Taco Tuesdays, sushi dates, beach days, and a few beers along the way. As our friendship grew stronger, so did our feelings for each other. I mustered up the courage to make a move during a night out with friends on 2^ndStreet in Long Beach. It came in the form of copping a feel, literally. It was a risky move as Bree did not know how to respond, and I was roasted by friends for this ridiculous attempt for the rest of the night. Bree had a soft spot for her future husband and forgave me. She was also slightly intrigued by the move. She even gave me a bed to sleep in. This moment would lead to more dates and eventually a strong, adventurous, and enjoyable relationship. Moral of the story: Always test drive before you buy.

Eventually, all roads led to Denver, Colorado where we would start our new adventure. This change in scenery would fit our story perfectly, as it was the destination of our first vacation. The Rocky Mountains would provide us endless opportunities to hike, explore, and be active together. In June 2018, we took advantage of some time off by traveling to Estes Park for a weekend getaway. We trekked up Chasm Lake trail and found ourselves surrounded by a serene emerald lake, a waterfall, snow-capped mountains, and a beautiful view of the Front Range. I, Bree, while loving the view, was ready to head back down the mountain as the trail became increasingly difficult. I was trudging through mud, snow, and loose rock on the side of the mountain in Asics shoes and Santa Clause themed socks. Nonetheless, we successfully made it to the top where we caught our breath and enjoyed each other’s company. Before heading back down, while Sean was lying next to me, he reached into his backpack and pulled out a little black box in which I immediately asked, “Is this for real?” Sean opened it, revealing a beautiful ring, and said, “Babe, I love you and I can’t wait to do life with you. Will you marry me?” As happy tears filled my eyes, I immediately said yes and tackled Sean with a hug. I couldn’t have asked for a better moment, as it was simply just us.