Our story from Gaby's point of view.

In early January of 2022; I remember I was co-teaching a Spanish class at the Sheriff's academy and Chris was a student in the class. For one, he walks into class late, and I remember him walking in with this "swag" as if he thought he was all that. LOL. He was wearing a baseball cap, t-shirt, jeans, and boots (his usual style that is unique to him and that I love). Yes, I did check him out even though he walked in like he was all that. LOL. We really didn't talk nor interact much in this class other than me asking him and another female deputy if they needed help with the material. After that, we did not interact until one day there was a pursuit in his district, a deputy keyed up advising he was involved in a major accident, and I noticed on the map that Chris was mapping near that deputy. I called him from our work phone to ask about the deputy's condition. After that, we actually did not cross paths again in person until one day that I was having lunch at a burger place with a mutual friend of ours, Chris walks into the same burger place and comes over to say hi to our friend. They are carrying on a conversation and then Chris starts complaining about dispatch. I told him to let us Watch Command supervisors know because if we are not aware of it then how are we going to address an issue that needs to be addressed. I remember I told him, "Take my number and let me know when there are issues." Little did I know, he already had my number saved from the time I taught that Spanish class that he was late to and where he fell in love with me at first sight. LOL. That is all it took. After that he slid into my DM's and our conversations began to grow. We started texting daily and then eventually planned to go to an Astros game with a group of friends and in April of 2022 is when our friendship blossomed. We started going to Astros games (Astros are part of "OUR" story too), going to the casino, hanging out, and talking on the phone like every day for hours at a time as if we were in high school again. Our friends around us thought we were "something" way before we wanted to admit that we actually liked each other and way before we actually started dating. I guess they saw something in us that we tried so hard to deny. One thing I will say that I love about our friendship and relationship is that it all felt so natural and effortlessly from the beginning. We could talk for hours and make each other laugh as if we had known each other for years. He did not officially ask me to be his girlfriend until November 14, 2022; why did it take him so long to ask? I don't know because quite honestly, I am amazing! We have definitely had our ups and downs, like every couple. We are not perfect, and we do not claim to be perfect. But we have not and will not give up on us and our relationship. We continue to grow together as a couple and as individuals. That is what makes us, us! I found my better half, my travel partner, my best friend when I least expected to and I would not change that for the world.

Our story from Chris' point of view:

When I think of our story, I do not think of typical romance or love stories. Even our first phone call from one to the other wasn't traditional. Once we had become formally introduced to each other, life went on until I bumped into her eating at a place, we both enjoy. I saved her number in my phone for the second time and life went on again. Our first phone call; we were both working, I was chasing a suspect after a friend had crashed on a pursuit. While running I answered her call, I enjoyed hearing her voice. I don't know why I thought it was a good idea to talk while running but I enjoyed it. The first time we hung out, was just as friends. Some-how she knew I loved baseball, so she invited me to go to an Astros game with her and some of her friends. In less than nine innings something inside me had changed. I felt like I had known her for forever. Our conversations were effortless, and we never had awkward moments or ran out of things to say to each other. Something inside me felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. The part of me that I did not know was missing was there. At the time, part of me was intrigued by the feeling and the rest of me was terrified of it. We quickly began to hang out weekly which turned into almost daily. She went from being a stranger, to being my best friend. I started waking up to check my phone to see if she had said good morning or had text me again since the last text. On days we didn't hang out, I would stay up late just to speak to her on the phone regardless of what time I had to be up in the morning. Easiest way to explain it is when we would speak my life felt complete and I was at peace. When we would hang out, people would always ask how long we had been together and complimented how happy and good we looked together. I would get annoyed and tell them we were just friends and to mind their business. I would remember she said we were just friends, so I ran with that and used it to convince myself daily that she didn't like me. That made it easier to tell myself I didn't have feelings for her, but I think knew I was lying to myself the entire time. Everything was always so natural, our friendship was never forced, our conversations never got old and no matter how many hours we hung out or talked it never seemed to be enough. I suppose that's what everyone could see from the beginning. During the hours we weren't talking, I would find myself debating if she had feelings for me or not. I came up with some pretty irrational and crazy opinions to justify telling myself she didn't. If she didn't have feelings for me, I would never have to admit that I somehow went from becoming her friend to loving her. On May 30, 2022, I was no longer able to lie to myself. I went to get another tattoo, and she sent me a text asking for the address and told me she was going to come. I felt the need to make sure I wasn't crazy and asked my tattoo artist the most childish question ever and he threatened to charge me double for my tattoo for asking. I said, "Hey bro if a girl who swears she doesn't have feelings for you decides to come watch you get a tattoo, because she apparently has nothing better to do in her life today, she likes you right"? His actual response doesn't matter but what does matter is she actually showed up and even brought me Gatorade in case I got thirsty. While she was there, she brought peace and comfort that I had not felt since before the war. I still struggle to put what I felt into words. Easiest way to put it, I felt complete, and I knew I wanted to feel that way for whatever time I have left in life. By the end of the day, I knew she was the woman I wanted to marry and spend the rest of my life with. I waited to ask her to be my girlfriend until November 14 of that year, mostly because boyfriend/girlfriend was never what I wanted and a childish title to me. I knew then I wanted what I am finally accomplishing now, a wife. I am sure her reasoning of why it took me so long to ask will be different. Now fast forward a few years; I am still the happiest and most content I have been in my life. I have a beautiful family; we still travel every chance we get. Life isn't always perfect, but every second is beautiful and worth it with her. I feel pretty blessed I still have my best friend and travel partner, have the family I always wanted, and we are blessed with a house that is pretty cool as well.

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