Nick and I are engaged at last! On Friday, February 20, 2009 he popped the question in our hometown of San Diego while we were out in
Little Italy. The neighborhood of Little Italy has always been one of our favorites in San Diego. It's quaint, warm, romantic, and dreamy. Well, more so now after Nick transformed it from "cute neighborhood" to "this is where he proposed and gave me a Tiffany ring." However, the hours leading up the proposal weren't as perfect and all didn't go as smoothly as Nick would have liked. Mostly because of me. Naturally.
The day started off with an early morning flight from Seattle, WA. The night before, I was at work until nearly 10pm and came home feeling burned out. And being the amazing procrastinator that I am, I hadn't started packing yet. So we're already heading into the wee morning hours when I finish (over) packing, and we have to be at the airport in about three hours. I sleep for as long as I can, and wake up so we can jet off to Sea-Tac International.
My suspicions start on our flight. While our complimentary beverages are being served, I was telling Nick that I was so excited to see my family and our friends. The plan as I knew it at the time was to spend the evening with them all since most of us were all arriving to San Diego to celebrate my dad's birthday- the whole reason we were flying to San Diego in the first place. So then Nick says, "I really want to go downtown for dinner. It's Friday night. How about we do that tonight?" I'm thinking, "I already have plans with my family! My mom has been asking me all week what she should cook since our friends will be over. I already told you this when I sent the weekend itinerary out last week! How about we do dinner on Sunday night instead?" But Nick still insists that he wants to go out that night. I let it go, but think to myself, "What's the big deal? Geez he already knows I just want to hang out with my family." So the flight continues without incident.
We arrive into beautiful San Diego. The sun is out, the weather is perfect, and Souplantation isn't that far away. I notice that Nick is text messaging a lot, but don't think much of it. I figure he's letting his friends and family know we're in town like he normally does. My wonderful friend Anabel picks us up like usual, and her son/my Godson is in tow. He had a really cute and gangsta outfit on that day. We all head off to my favorite places in San Diego for lunch, Mimi's Cafe! While we are there I notice that Nick and Anabel are unusually chatty with one another. Not that I minded, but it felt like I was missing out on something. Again, I don't think much of it and just chalk it up to Nick breaking his way through the normally indecipherable laughter that Anabel and I always share.
So we get to my parents' house and the drama begins. Enter Genesis. My lovable, fierce, amazing powerhouse of a friend. As soon as we sit down in the living room, Anabel's phone is off the hook with text messages and phone calls. This is where I REALLY start to get suspicious, but I continue to stay in denial mostly because of my mother.
The back story to all this is my mother's incessant pushing and questioning of why Nick hasn't proposed yet: "So when he is going to the ask you to marry him? How come when he visit us he didn't ask for our blessing? Well, maybe you need to start dropping more hints. Look through his luggage for the ring!" My mother has this power over me. For the most part, when she puts a thought in my head enough times, I believe it. And this time, it more than worked! (And the back story to the back story is that my mom DID know that Nick was going to propose and was just playing tricks on me!)
So back to the living room. Anabel is texting like crazy and is all vague and cryptic when she and Genesis are on the phone. All I hear from her is, "I don't know. I can't say. No se, no se. No, the manis and pedis are tomorrow." I'm thinking, "What does she not know and how did the conversation transition to manis and pedis so quickly?" So she hangs up and Genesis knows that she is with me, yet right when he hangs up with her he calls me! Normally when the trace of us (Yes, trace. That's how we pronounce tres) are together, we talk A LOT since we all live in different cities now. So to be so cryptic and secretive was out of our element. At any rate, now I'm talking with Genesis and hearing all kinds of crazy stories!
So NOW, HE'S telling me he's going to be leaving LA in a few and will be in Little Italy for a client dinner and that he wants to meet afterwards. I'm thinking, "Why would he drive here for that and how is he supposed to be here in a few hours?" So again, I tell him that my family will be there and we're all having dinner and that I'll just see him later tonight when he comes home. And mind you, my aunties are making lumpia and bread pudding in the background while my mom is asking my cousins what they are bringing from the bakery! They are in full on party preparation mode!
Then I start getting text messages galore from Genesis. The one that REALLY caught my attention was the one where he said,
"It'll do u good if we meet up for gelato tonight. I'm just saying."
Umm. What is that supposed to mean? He then proceeds to tell me that he is seeing a new guy and really wants me to meet him. By now my suspicions are through the roof so I throw them some curve balls. At first he says to invite Nick along for the evening. But then I say it should just be the three of us who'll meet this mystery man. To which Gen says that Nick should be there for it, too. :)
I finally commit to going, but only if Gen tells my mom. So now all the drama queens are involved. My mom calls me not even 5 minutes later saying, "Neng, Genesis just called me so upset. He said something about a client dinner? And wanting to meet you for gelato in Little Italy? Just go. He sounded so upset and said 'Auntie can Kristine please go with us tonight?' He's always been a good friend so you should go. We'll be up late anyway waiting for everyone to get here. Just go. But make sure you do your hair and make up, okay?" What?! FINE! I suck it up and say I'll go even though I am exhausted and my plans aren't going accordingly! I eventually turn to Anabel and say, "Why does everyone want me to go downtown!?"
So I take a nap while Anabel goes home. And the plan now is to meet with her and her husband and Genesis and his new boy toy, down in Little Italy. At this point, I still don't really know what's going on. I don't know what time to be there, where exactly I'm going, what to wear, who I'm supposedly meeting. And as someone who needs things to be organized, I was getting really frustrated! But I go with it. As I'm getting ready my mom keeps telling me to do my hair and make up, put on nice earrings, carry a nice bag. She also asks if we need a car and offers hers, which she almost never does. And then she keeps asking me what time are we going, what time will we be back, etc. (Again, I'm even more suspicious but don't think much of it.)
Finally, we are heading off to Little Italy. I call Anabel and Genesis to let them know we are on our way. Anabel cancels at the last minute saying Junior (her baby) is being fussy, even though I can hear him laughing in the background. Genesis says he and his clients are wrapping up and that Nick and I should just go to dinner and that he and his boyfriend will meet us later. So everything still feels off, but I go with it and am just happy to be with Nick in San Diego. I'm also happy to be out without being bundled in a jacket, gloves, snow boots and a hat.
We arrive in Little Italy. We do a quick walk around the area and then he asks me to pick a restaurant. Magically, I end up choosing a little place called
Zia's Bistro. Affordable yet fancy looking. Our waiter reminded me very much of a waiter I had when I was in Rome. Very attentive, acts like he knows you, and finds reasons to touch people- be it on the shoulder or the back. He also looks like he could be Nick's cousin or something. We order our meals, and I ask our waiter to recommend a wine to go with my Lemon Chicken Picatta. He says, "I know exactly which one to bring you!" And he comes back with 2 glasses of red for Nick and myself. I normally don't like to drink, but I decided to treat myself that night. After all, I was on vacation.
The food was great, the music was perfect, and best of all Nick and I are together and just having fun. Soon I get a text from Genesis saying that he and his guy are headed towards the fountain on India street and to meet him there. So Nick and I stroll outside to the fountain that just happens to be next to the restaurant. I immediately start looking around for my friend and some cute boy who I'm guessing will be next to him. We stand around for a bit, and then I get bored and ask Nick if he wants to go sit on the fountain.
At this point, I'm still really not expecting anything to happen. Well, other than Genesis and a cute boy coming to meet us. So in my efforts to quell my boredom, I ask Nick if he wants to throw coins into the fountain and make wishes. He starts fishing around in his pockets and hands me a penny. And in the spirit of all things Italy, I suggest we turn away from the fountain and throw our coins in over our shoulder and make a wish like they do at The Trevi Fountain. So we turn and Nick says, "Did you make your wish? Okay, GO!" We throw our coins in, laugh and turn back to each other. And then Nick says, "Want to make another wish? Okay hold on, I'll let you pick your coin. I have a lot of them." And then he puts his hand out and offers me a handful of coins to pick from. I look down and sitting on top of the coins is a
beautiful diamond ring.
At that point, all of the day's events become clear and I start laughing and smiling and crying all at once. Nick takes my hand and gets down on one knee. Somewhere in there I hear Nick say, "Kristine Clarinda Sanson Carabeo, I love you with all my heart...will you marry me?" I yell out, "YES!" And we hug, kiss, laugh. And then I ask, "You've been planning this all day? Did Anabel and Genesis know? Is Genesis even here?!" And Nick confirms that they were all in it, that my parents were in on it, that Genesis was in LA this whole time, and that they have been planning it all for the past month. And then I find out that the night he visited my parents a month ago, he DID in fact ask for their blessing. But my mom put on a good show and pretended that he said nothing and really made me believe that Nick was never going to settle down!
We call Genesis, Anabel, my parents, his parents, and we head back to my parents' house in Mira Mesa. We're all laughs and smiles and giddiness on the drive back. I ask Nick, "Do you think my mom is going to have a cake at the house? Something from Gemmae's (A Filipino bakery in the neighborhood) that says 'Congratulations Kristine and Nick!' on it?" he says he has no clue and then I see him texting again and ask him to watch the road because he started swerving a bit. And then I start texting my friends to meet us at my parents' house like we planned on doing originally, and tell them that I have big news to share with them!
We get to my parents' place and when we walk inside all is dark. I immediately remember the last time this happened to me...it was on my 15th birthday and my family turned off the lights and brought me my cake with candles while I was sitting next to Mamang, my grandmother who has since passed away.
So it's dark, and I apparently scoff or something because Anabel pointed out to me later that I made some sassy snarky noise. Typical Kristine! But I see shadows moving in the corners and know they are all waiting for me, so I turn on the lights and then EVERYONE comes out! We hear, "CONGRATULATIONS!!!!" and we are welcomed by our parents, my aunties and uncles, my cousins, our friends....it was absolutely perfect. Champagne glasses are spread out next to bottles of bubbly, and then I see the cake I knew my mom would get. "Congratulations Nick and Kristine!" Immediately Anabel and I are screaming and laughing and she briefly briefs me on the events leading up to the proposal! The rest of the evening is simply perfect. It was a wonderful event and to be able to share it with so many people I love was truly a perfect blessing.
Throughout the evening I find out that pretty much EVERYONE knew about the proposal, and that they all giggled to themselves when they got my text message that I had big news to share. They knew since Anabel and my mom were planning an engagement brunch for Sunday and Anabel was inviting our friends. (And my mom wanted to make sure that I knew we would be going to a brunch that morning. But she told me we were going to Hometown Buffet which I don't like at all! And when I told Anabel about it she totally played along and said, "Great! I have coupons there!" My friends and I are gathered around my parents' kitchen table, and my mom is frying the fancy peanut butter lumpia and my dad is making coffee and getting out the desserts they had. We start talking about the wedding...and soon we're talking about so many details I just put my wedding planner hat on and say, "Someone get me a wedding planner organizer, a calendar through 2010, and a set of Martha Stewart Wedding Magazines!" Of course, I'm joking. But I really could use them at that point! We all continue to catch up with each other, talk about the day, the proposal, mine and Nick's life in Seattle, etc. And FINALLY the princess of the hour arrives from LA.
Genesis finally makes it to San Diego, for reals this time. And staying true to form and giving further proof for the crazy bond he and I have, he walks in and immediately hands me a Wedding Planning Binder and a Wedding Tips Book that he bought when Nick told him he was going to propose!!! We hug and screm (yes, screm) and start rehashing the day's events.
The evening was so perfect. Even as I write this, I'm getting teary eyed because I was just so happy that night. I was with my dearest friends who I have known for so long, and my family who I love and cherish is there to share in it all.
Finally at midnight we decide it's time to call it a night and that we'll see each other the following day. Nick surprises me yet again and tells me he booked us a room at
The W Hotel. It was so posh and stylish, and felt kinda like an Ikea display.
The next day I get to have a mani pedi day with Anabel and Genesis at a Vietnamese nail salon near Anabel's house. It was so great to be with two of my favorite people getting glammed up for the evening. We were getting ready for my dad's birthday dinner. It was just at a Chinese restaurant, but hey- we like to treat ourselves and it was the first time in a while the three of us were together again!
Afterwards I go back to my parents' house and ALL my family is there! (Well, ALL meaning everyone we knew was going to attend. There are still plenty more of us all around the globe!) I get to see my cousins, their kids, my aunties, my uncles. Just seeing them all again was great, but to be able to share our engagement with them made it all the more amazing.
That evening we all go to celebrate my dad's 65th birthday. Now we're with family and friends, and later in the evening my dad announced to everyone that Nick and I are engaged. He then makes Nick and I dance to the song we always sing together on karaoke, "Endless Love." Nick and I dance but laugh the whole time. And to break the boredom we grab our parents and make them dance, too. The rest of the night is full of fun Filipino dances, picture taking, karaoke, food, magnificent cheesecake, speeches, hugs, and even more picture taking. Afterwards we all proceed back to my parents' house again. It was SO crowded, but it was so much fun!
The next day my family and I go to mass, and Rachel and Genesis join us since their parents already went to church the day before. And as soon as mass starts, we see the Cuenco family make their entrance into the cry room. My dad and I get to do the offertory together which was really nice. And then afterwards we all proceed to the
Karl Strauss Brewery for a lovely outdoor Sunday brunch alongside a coy pond that will forever haunt my mother.
The brunch was delicious, and my friends and I who are all dieting together decide while in line that we aren't going to be doing our weekly weigh in after all the eating we did that weekend! Brunch is beautiful, we all laugh and have fun, and the Sanson cousins got to take a lot of pictures together.
After my mom says a quick Happy Birthday announcement to her dear friend Benedict, the guitarist starts playing Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's
Somewhere over the Rainbow. In our family, this song has bittersweet memories attached to it. When my cousin Danny passed away, this was the song that played at his memorial service. His mother, my auntie, was there at the brunch. And when it started playing, I immediately looked to her and ran to her because I saw the tears coming. We cried together, but I like to think that it's Danny's way of letting us know he was there, sharing in all the love with us and reminding us that he is still with us. I'd like to think that when I called on all the Sanson first cousins to take a picture, he came up for it, too. :)
The rest of the day is relaxed. I go shopping with my parents and aunties, and Nick spends time with his parents and his fun Grandpa Giammarco. After a day of shopping, I go with my parents to the market to buy fish and bananas for dinner. We get home and cook rice and heat up all the left overs. Anabel, her baby son Junior, and our friend Genesis come over of course. We start planning and talking some more. Meanwhile junior is running around and always came back with a different snack that one of my aunties or my mom gave him. And once they start eating fish and rice, he propped himself up on my auntie's lap and helped himself to her food! And staying true to his roots, he ate with his hand! Yeah I know, he's a baby and can't use utensils. But still!
We all just hang out. Nick stops by to say good bye to Genesis and thank him for everything, and then leaves to hang out with his friends. Gen leaves, only to come back later to hang out some more! We pray the rosary with my family, start styling my mom's dress for the wedding, watch junior dance to Dora the Explorer videos, get frozen yogurt and delicious Mexican food from Alejandro's for the last time until the wedding, gab and laugh, and hug and kiss goodbye.
The next morning the only family left are my two aunties/surrogate mothers (no not literally), and my jolly uncle who loves to cook. I wake up to the smell of fried bananas and coffee....mmmm. My dad leaves for work so I kiss him goodbye and thank him for everything. My mom leaves for a conference, my aunties and uncle leave, and then my mom leaves the conference early to see me and Nick off.
The weekend comes to an end. And like all San Diego trips passed, Anabel and Ferdi and the bobby drive us to the airport and we all have dinner together. But the cherry on top of the amazing sundae that is our weekend? Nick and I get upgraded to first class and fly back to Seattle in style. And only for $50!
It was an amazing, perfect, loving, cute, and beautiful weekend. Nick and I still can't get over how amazing it all was and how lucky and blessed we are. Hopefully it's a sign of all the great things to come.
Thank you to everyone who was there that weekend, who has supported us throughout the years, who supported us individually and together, and to everyone who will be there in the coming weeks, months, and years, God willing. We love you all so very much and know that you were brought to our life for a reason. You have made us who we are, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
And now the wedding planning begins. Stay tuned for all the wedding details and updates!
Anabel and I have known each other since our days of lagging in the back of our P.E. class when we ran the mile once a week. We went on to high school together where we both were in music, Spanish and English classes together. From there we ventured together to San Diego State University where she received her degree in Child and Family Development and eventually received her multi-subject teaching credential.
Yes, you read that right. Genesis will be my Man of Honor. There was never in doubt in mine or Nick's mind that Gen would be right by my side on our wedding day. I first met him through his sister, Rachel. (See below.) We used to have sleep overs at her house, and Gen would be right there gabbing with us and watching movies. I remember him asking me one day, "Do you know the musical Rent? I have the soundtrack!" And so set the tone for our friendship.
My beautiful cousin who is the closest person I will ever have to a sister. When we were kids I used to follow her around and wanted to be just like her, giant NKOTB buttons and all. I may not follow her around anymore, but she is still a big inspiration in my life. From writing to activism- I get it from her, who got it from our grandpa Segundo Gonzalez Sanson. And I am not the only person she motivates. She also inspires plenty of people everyday as a High School English Teacher. Not only does she inspire them to be amazing and talented writers, but she also inspires them to fight for social justice throgh The Sojourn Project. She wll be taking her students on the Soujourn trip for the second year this year.
Krista is Nick's little cousin who he loves like a little sister. I even think she looks like she could be his younger sister. He often recalls the days when they were younger and she would jump on his back and demand piggy back rides.
I first met Janel when we were doing roommate assignments for our 8th grade trip to the East Coast. We clicked in an instant and have been friends ever since. From there we spent most of our school days right next to each other gabbing about boys, cotillions and dances. We once spent an entire summer with each other taking Chemistry classes just to get ahead in the following school year. She did the math, I mixed the chemicals and studied the reactions. We were the perfect pair!
My beautiful friend who lives a very parallel life to me. No wonder I love her so much! But in all seriousness, Jen is one of my dearest friends. We used to spend our days lounging at my condo in San Diego, or venturing around downtown or my old stomping grounds of Mission Valley. She even briefly contemplated moving to Washington when we were in college.
One day this little loud girl passed by me at school and said, "Hey Kristine!" and I shouted back, "Hey!" All of a sudden we were talking like we've known each other all our lives. Which is fitting because I feel like I have known this girl forever. We've known each other since before we could drive or even take driver's ed classes. We have definitely grown together and seen each other through it all.
When we turned 18 we wanted to do something only the 18 and older crowd could do. Our adult outing? Playing the slots at the Indian Casino. She pulled down the handle and the screen said, "Please see attendant." Being the novice gamblers that we were, we thought the machine was broken and were about to walk away. Little did we know we just won $2,000!!! We started screaming and jumping for joy- I'm pretty sure the whole casino was looking at us...in envy that is!
