Me

Me

Nov 3, 2015

Once Upon A Time...

When I was a kid, I remember my mom always taking the senior's graduation pictures at our school. Every year she made that her gift to each of the graduates. That's really the only thing I remember about my husband, Enrique Gamboa. He was just a guy that was WAY older than me getting his pictures done. I was probably there when my mom took the pictures! But I really don't remember him. He graduated... and life went on. I was 12 at the time.

7 years later...

I was 19. I had graduated high school the year before (2012) and I had traveled! In the year 2012 I went to New York City, Washington DC, Benton Arizona, Kentucky 2-3 times, Disney World (Florida), and many little trips in between. I loved it! 
After Arizona for New Years I came home.
March rolled around and I turned 19! My family arranged for friends and family to join us at Olive Garden for my birthday celebration! Across from me was this guy that I hadn't seen since I was 12. I never remembered him being this cute... He quickly started conversation with me. What were my goals? What were my hobbies? What did I want to do with my life? 
So I showed him a list. I guess he was impressed because a few weeks later I went to Houston for a week and I received a Facebook message.. "Where are you?" Excuse me? I hardly know you, I thought. " Um, I am in Houston..."
Dot, Dot, Dot. From then on, we messaged off and on.

One evening I was home babysitting and I get a message. 

"My family and I are going to Fire Mountain to ride go carts and stuff. Does your family want to join us?" 
I was stunned. We never really talked and now he's asking me out? with my family of course... haha! Well, I called my mom. Mom and Dad were on a date and I was babysitting. So Mom said I could go by myself. 
BY MYSELF?! I wanted to puke! I didn't know this guy but he was obviously interested and I was a ball of nerves!

So I went. 

He and his parents greeted me with hugs and lots of chatter. I don't understand a word they said because I don't know Spanish... so I was even more nervous! So, guided me to the golf course where his parents disappeared. I was constantly searching for them with my eyes but apparently he had told them that he wanted to play the game alone with me. I must have missed that in the blur of Spanish conversation when I got there. But here I was, really bad at putt-putt and having the time of my life! 
That is where it all began. 
Starbucks and hours and hours of conversation entailed for about a month. We sat under the Andy's Frozen Custard sign almost nightly just talking about everything under the sun and moon! I had never had such a close friend. I started college classes and we saw each other constantly. I couldn't focus on my classes and he honestly only had a class so he could see me after my class!

The moment we had our first kiss, I knew. He was the one. He was challenging. He challenged me to be a better me. He encouraged me in every way. He would accidentally catch himself saying " I Lov.... I Like you..." and I knew he loved me too. 4 weeks of conversations and butterflies and I told him he should ask my dad if he could officially date me. 

I had never seen him so nervous! We invited his family over and my dad started grilling steaks. Now, if you know my dad, you'll know he is 6'3 and quite intimidating! Enrique on the other had is 5'5 and and a ball of nerves, He would sit by me at the table and then walk outside to the grill where my dad had large tongs and a hot grill at his fingertips. In and out he went. "Did you ask?" I'd ask. "No..." and out he went. It was pure torture for us both! 

My dad said yes, of course, and we proceeded to dinner.

Later that night as I walked him to his truck my parents walked with us. Enrique promised he would never do anything to harm me and that he would have the utmost respect for me and my parents. It was the sweetest talk! I cried. Lol. I was so in love with him.
The next day he was very happy to call me his girlfriend! I then told him he had yet to ask me if I wanted to be his girlfriend... ( I was messing with him :P) so he was nervous yet again!! That night at church he sent me a text. "Circle Yes or No if you will be my girlfriend!"
Um, you can't circle a text.
:'D I was laughing so hard!! Poor guy.
Of course I said yes! 
This was September 1st.
In the following months he went to family Thanksgiving with me and my family in Houston and I went to his parent's house weekly for AWESOME Mexican food dinners!
In the meantime, we knew we wanted to get married. But complications at his job caused him to have to move on. With no job and me in school, a wedding looked impossible :(
He was frustrated and spent hours on Indeed.com and spent weeks on end looking for a job. With Christmas around the corner, no one was really hiring and he was so down. 
December 24th, Christmas Eve I went to his parents house for dinner and presents!
Low and behold, he gave me a promise ring!!
"I promise, that someday soon... we will be married. even though we can't right now, I promise we will soon."
It was so sweet! I knew I could wait, I got this!

Christmas day came and went with family, food, and fun! Yay! Our first Christmas together!

Day after Christmas, he calls me. "I'm coming over! I have something to tell you! I'll be there in an hour." I had no time to reply before he hung up. I was worried of course!!

I was standing on the porch when he drove up. He walked up and told me... "I got a job!"
I was elated! Until he said the next words.. "Its in the oilfield! I leave tomorrow for Pennsylvania."

I couldn't speak. I couldn't explain my feelings. Tears rolled down my cheeks. He was leaving. 

I cried for days and probably weeks. He was gone. He worked 17-20 hour shifts. No cell service, and all he wanted to do was sleep when he got off. Many nights when he called he would start snoring in the middle of a conversation. I missed him. It was like he disappeared on December 27th.

4 Months passed.


In April, my Papaw passed away. As we planned for a trip to Houston, I get a text from Enrique saying that he was coming home! I was so excited!!! I was able to pick him up from the airport and then I had to say goodbye for a whole day while I went to the funeral. It was a horrible day! I had to say goodbye to my grandfather and I lost a precious day with the love of my life whom I hadn't seen in 4 months!
I finally made it home and we spent every moment together!
On May 3rd, 7 days after he had arrived and 2 days before he left, he expressed that he wanted us to be engaged before he left again. We had a wonderful breakfast out with my parents where he found a perfect moment to ask my dad for my hand in marriage. He said yes!
I knew it was coming. Yes, it was not a surprise. I knew he would propose to me the next night after church. Sunday night, May 4th  he arranged for his parents, my family, and my grandparents to join us at Olive Garden for dinner after church. Everyone was full of anticipation, especially me! 
After salad, drinks, and ordering food, he couldn't stand it anymore!
He asked for everyone's attention. 
"I have something to say, Morgan and I have grown very close over the past few months, and I want to ask her a question."
He turned to me, got down on one knee, and popped the question.
YES! 
The one surprise was that the ring was one I had never seen! After months of ring shopping together, it was a total surprise! It was a 3 carat set with princess cut diamonds  across both the engagement and wedding bands! WOW! He outdid himself!

Monday morning he left again. Between May 4th and January 24th, we saw each other 6 times.

These are the most exciting and trying times of my life so far! I will save the wedding day for my next post. 

I hope you enjoy our story!!

The best is yet to come!

Morgan G.

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