Zaida came to Houston for a girls’ trip, but God had a little more planned than a weekend getaway. At the time, she was living in Atlanta, still carrying Miami as home, and I was just a goofy Houston guy who happened to match with her at the right moment. What started as an easy conversation on Hinge quickly became something neither of us wanted to let pass by. From the very beginning, our conversation felt genuine and easy. There were no games, no waiting hours to respond just to seem busy, no forced small talk. Quick replies turned into quick connection, and before long, we made plans to meet the next day.

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Zaida told me she was only in town for the weekend, so I knew I had to take the opportunity, even if it was just to see if I could make a new friend. We met at POST HTX, where I was also introduced to her two friends. After walking inside together, her friends split off in another direction so Zaida and I could get to know each other a little better.

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We made our way up to the Skylawn, and honestly, we hit it off almost immediately. Between our complementary personalities, our shared love for comedy, and our connection through music, we became comfortable with each other pretty quickly.

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After some time, her friends came back to get her, very much like parents coming to pick up their daughter at sunset, and it was time for us to part ways. Before we left, they asked for my homegrown Houston opinion on where they can grab dinner. I suggested a few local spots, then casually mentioned that my friends and I were having a cookout that night if they wanted to join us instead. It was going to be two of my friends and me, and there were three of them, so I thought, “Hey, why not?” I also made sure to mention that they could save some money and eat free food at my place. Practical AND charming.

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Around 8 p.m. that night, Zaida texted me and asked if the offer was still on the table. I told her yes, and conveniently, the food was still not on the table either, so they had plenty of time to arrive while everything was fresh.

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Long story short, they came over, and we all got along so well. By then, her friends were more comfortable with me, my friends were goofy and welcoming, and everyone settled into the night easily. My friends already knew who my pick was, so they let me take more of the lead in entertaining. Once a host, always a host, what can I say? We played games, ate great food, and laughed a lot. I even prepared a special seafood dish for my sweet girl because she's been a pescatarian for over ten years (couldn’t be me).

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By the end of the night, we parted ways with the shared hope that we would see each other again. Until then, we planned to keep talking and continue building what we both already knew felt special. And that's exactly what happened. We talked every day through text and phone calls, and about a month later, Zaida came back to Houston, this time by herself, to visit the goofy Houston guy. During that trip, I officially asked her to be my girlfriend.

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From there, we spent a year and a half dating long-distance, taking turns visiting each other every month. Spirit Airlines really held it down with those prices, and honestly, we may deserve some free flights for how much they are part of our story lol.

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After that season, and truly with the help of God, we decided it was time to retire the long-distance relationship and make it simply a relationship. Almost a year and a half after that, we have now been living together harmoniously in the same city. And I even got an added bonus when I was able to adopt Zaida's sweet dog Nala :) I'm the father that stepped UP!

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We have built something really special, and our engagement in December was another beautiful gift from God. Zaida and I are deeply blessed by God’s grace and love, and we are so thankful that we trusted Him, waited on His timing, and allowed Him to work in our lives. Now let's get MARRIED!!!