Summer 2012, Michelle moves into a house with 3 other women with the intention of together loving their community and making a positive impact in the neighborhood. 2 months later, she meets one of her neighbors, Sofia. At first introduction, Sofia is convinced that Michelle is the right match for her brother. A month passes and Michelle and Guillermo meet for the first time breaking the ice with "Hablas ingles?" The set up doesn't last very long, however, as Michelle starts dating another guy shortly after.
In a matter of 3 months, Michelle's world turns upside down with her job falling through, an unexpected break up, and her beloved abuelita suddenly landing up in the hospital. On a plane to Florida to be with family, confused and trying to make sense of it all, Michelle began to pray and ask God to restore all that had been lost in her life.
Meanwhile, Guillermo knew that there was something different about this girl and he couldn't just walk away. Daily texting her while she was in Florida, he reminded her that Jesus loved her and wasn't going to abandon her. He encouraged her with Scripture, with thoughtfulness, and with persistence. Finally, as she returned home, she decided that she would be open to going on a date with Guillermo.
One date turned into a second, and then a third. By the second date, she began to see him with a new set of eyes. There was chemistry, attraction, character, laughter, and they shared faith in Jesus. He began to gain her attention; however, with still so much up in the air in her life, she still was not ready to date seriously. He, on the other hand, was convinced that Michelle was the one for him so he waited patiently.
Meanwhile, six weeks later, as Michelle began to gain clarity regarding all that was unsettled in her life, Guillermo suffered through the waiting, not sure if Michelle would ever come around. By this point, Guillermo's persistence and long-suffering finally got Michelle's attention. It was as if a wool was lifted from her eyes and she could finally see him for the man he was. He completely won her heart and she finally was ready to say "yes" to take things to the next level.
Michelle wanted to do it in a special way. She recalled a memory of a time when she asked Guillermo about what he missed most from Guadalajara. He mentioned a story about a tradition in Guadalajara where men and women would walk on opposite sides of the side walk around this plaza. If a man saw a woman that he was interested in, he would give her a rose. However, if she gave him a rose back, then that meant that she was interested as well and they would walk on the same side of the sidewalk.
As Michelle remembered this story, she remembered that on each date that they went on, Guillermo gave Michelle a rose. So, she decided in a way of communicating her desire to take the next step, she wanted to give him a rose back. Her elaborate plans for an afternoon hike with their top of the mountain DTR (define the relationship) talk were quickly aborted as the perfect moment presented itself while they were talking in the car after Bible study one night. There was only one problem -- she didn't have a rose. Suddenly, she got out of the car -- Guillermo is clueless and confused -- and she walks down a few houses to search for a random bush with flowers. She grabs a nice looking flower and walks back to the car. Guillermo still clueless awaits, and Michelle says her shpeel about wanting to move forward with him and hands him the flower. He was speechless. He didn't know what to say. He just grabbed her hand and put it over his heart and it was beating out of his chest. The moment he never thought would happen was happening. Michelle said yes.
Three weeks later, they knew. Kind of like those stories where the couple just knows that this person is the one they want to marry. Well that was them. And well, the rest is history. God brought two unlikely people together who deeply love God and each other, coming from completely different stories and cultures, to fulfill plans that they can't even fathom yet. They are both ready for this new chapter that God has begun to write in their stories and are beyond grateful for the incredible gift God has given to us in marriage.
