OUR
Story
His Side
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Cody and I met in a "hopeless place"...the internet. However, it wasn't until we went on a proper date that we actually connected. From there, we couldn't get enough of each other's company and less than three months later, we were on our first trip overseas...the kind of decision that irreverent comedy films are based on.
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Our connection was real though - our friends quickly attested to that. My favorite memory of Cody meeting my friends was during the Gay Games in Cleveland only a few weeks after we met. Cody showed up to cheer my rowing team and me with face paint spelling our team's name on his forehead...forgetting that the rest of his face was prime real state for the sun to leave its mark.
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On to meeting his family...I first met Fern and Drew in Cleveland over a bottle of tempranillo (which I then learned is 3/4 of a bottle more than the Shulmans would typically have). Brandon and Brooke had to wait until Thanksgiving to meet me so I could give them the okay😉, and I have to say, everyone was immediately warm and welcoming. Even though I am still working my way through all the Jewish holidays (they have a ton!), I survived Yom Kippur once, so I am ready for the rest.
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The meeting of my family...in proper Mexican family tradition, when my siblings met Cody, it wasn't without tequila, tears, laughter, and many hugs all around. Since that didn't scare him, I figured he was ready for the real deal: a Mexican Christmas with my parents and eight nieces and nephews. If that sounds crazy, it was. But I love nothing more than Cody being part of our traditions and him being Tio Codito to all the kids. My only concern is that when [not if] Cody learns Spanish, he will realize how truly crazy we are...but I guess he already said I do and it's till death do us part.
His Side
On our first date in July 2014, we clicked after Mario told me about his frequent work trips to India and I blurted out the possible routing for his flights. He was positively intrigued by my response, so I suggested we have another beer. That wasn't the last one of the night.
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After that, I was concerned the excitement might dwindle when he left for another work trip to India. Upon arrival, he sent me a picture that included some carpet in the background, which I used to guess where he was staying. I shipped a care package to that hotel, hoping I had guessed correctly. When he received it, his reaction was pure elation, and I knew he was the real deal.
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Fast forward to Mario getting recruited to an automotive startup in Boston. We flew there for an apartment search and to celebrate my birthday, and I knew I had to make something clear to him that weekend. As we sat down for dinner, he noticed that his restaurant menu looked like one big paragraph. I had written him a note explaining that I wanted to take things to the next level as we prepared for temporary long-distance dating. I presented him with a pre-engagement ring.
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Nine months later, we embarked on a surprise vacation Mario planned for us to India. Unbeknownst to me, he planned three elaborate engagements for us, but we each kept falling ill one after the other. One our last night, he asked me to watch a video collage he put together of our adventure, only to sneak in the big question at the end. Overcome with emotion, we grabbed our phones to call our families and found out our flight back home had been cancelled. I worked my routing magic over the phone to get us as close to home as Zurich…on standby. We rushed to the airport, boarded, and woke up in snowy Switzerland where we strolled the streets together as an engaged couple.
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The Swiss Alps were another thread of our consistent draw toward mountains, and they brought us closer to the idea that we needed some of our own. In August 2019, we got the keys to our very own place in Vermont's Mad River Valley. That home became setting for our marriage ceremony on 10/10/2020.