How It All Began...
SHE SAID:
My fairy tale (whether I realized it at the time or not) began late winter 2007; that was when I met Carlos. Or at least that was the first time I really noticed him. Although if you ask Carlos, he swears to this very day that he fell into love with me at first sight. I was still in high school and he had just started at Quinnsigamond College. The first time we spoke I could tell he had a crush on me, he was anything but subtle. (Remember the time he commented on my MySpace picture with “look at my future wife…”? I do.) However the shy high school girl in me wasn’t ready for a relationship and promptly turned him down. However that did not stop the wooing, after all Carlos was a hopeless romantic after my heart. He proved to be a funny and caring, gentleman with unconditional love for me; even in the friend-zone. Soon we became something more but more about that later, shh a bride has to keep some secrets. When I look back at our story and think about our wedding just months away, I’ve found the one for me. I am probably one of the most complicated human beings you will ever meet. However, he gets me, he knows me, and he understands me even when I cannot understand myself. In danger of sounding cheesy…sometimes he catches me just staring at him, but I can’t help myself because I truly never thought that I would find someone who completes me so well.
HE SAID:
Many years ago when I was 3 and Ericka was possibly 1 we crossed paths for the first time back in the home land of Ecuador, Baños Cuenca to be precise. Our parents were watching a car race that they had in our town every year. After that, we didn't meet again until I was 8 or 9. I used to visit my mom's cousins in Worcester. According to history, Ericka and I were both babysat by her aunt one night while our parents went out clubbing. Neither of us remember seeing each other then, but it happened. True story. We both grew in different environments, with different types of interest, but I guess the most important interest that we share is family. It was at a mutual family event that we met again after so long. I won't lie, at the time I was just getting over my first heartbreak, but it was time to get back up and that's where I saw Ericka again. At first I thought she was too young for me but she was the same age as my previous girlfriend so I guess she wasn't that young. I thought she was cute, but at the same time too shy. I remember we danced and everyone at the party would tease us and say that we made a nice couple, but we were just too shy around each other. Time passed and we kept seeing each other here and there, but it was always just a "hi and bye"type of thing. I remember always asking her to go out to the movies or out to eat, but she always found a clever excuse to let me down easy. Unfortunately in 2007 she told me that she was moving back to Ecuador. We kept in touch here and there until a year later where she came back. I remember being on my computer and she IMed me. For those of you who are to young to know what IM is, it's how we used to message each other back when cell phones had limited messaging. Anyways back to the story. So she was the one to initiate the conversation this time and we ended up hanging out a couple times after that. She had other guys in mind and only saw me as a good friend. I really wanted to tell her that I liked her, but I didn't get the chance right away. She dated another guy before me but they weren't meant to be. I guess I just had to be more pushy and go big or go home. So we hung out a lot more and finally on June 14th of 2009 I popped the first question that started it all. Since that day, I have committed myself to love her like she has no idea. All I do has always been centered in our happiness. And yes, we've had our tough times, but our love is "incodicional" like the song says. As time passed our love grew stronger and my promise to her that I made at our two year anniversary finally was given a confirmation by me finally popping the big question on 11/22/14. Although I'm not a very superstitious person even the date was perfect. My favorite number is 11, her's is 22, and 14 is the day that we have celebrated each month of our ever growing love. Today as I'm writing this I realize I could write a whole book on all the memories we have shared together, but it will be a never ending story because I know this is only a new chapter in this book of our love.