Our Story

Our story started on a stormy November night in 2022. David picked me up from my tiny study apartment in south‑central Austin, wearing a bright orange hat I will never forget. I liked his face immediately and knew I was in trouble.

We climbed into Claire’s ’98 Toyota Camry, he popped in a Fugees cassette tape, and we made our way to Waterloo Park for Creek Show — a light installation created by local artists. When we arrived, the entire park was dark. Strange for a light show, but we shrugged, got out, and made a full loop around the park before heading toward the entrance. It had rained earlier that day, but it had been dry for hours, and neither of us bothered to check the website for updates. Surely it was still open.

It wasn’t. But honestly, it didn’t matter.

We made another loop around the park, laughing the whole way, and then headed to Ramen Tatsuya to warm up. My heart settled into the sweetest place that night. He finished his ramen, and then mine, and afterward we wandered down East 6th to Shangri‑La — a bar that would later become one of our favorites. I tried like hell to charm him, nudging him during pool and brushing his arm while we sipped cocktails, but he stayed cool as a cucumber. By the time he walked me safely home, I was convinced he wasn’t that into me. Still, we hugged and agreed to try Creek Show again the next day.

We kissed on our second date, and I think we both knew then that this was something special. A few years later, and we are living in our small home on the East Side of Austin with our dog Gumbeau and the loveliest neighbors, Claire, Thomas and Caio! We have traveled. We have played and danced. We grown as individuals and as a couple. We had highs and lows and all the while communicating, laughing and saying “I love you". There’s no person in the world I’d rather be married to. David is kind and gentle and silly. My life is so full of love, I have no idea what to do with it except give as freely as he does to the people around him.