The Beginning

I met Donal in May 2008.

I had been through 3 months in Peace Corps Training and was working on my 2nd month living in Cabrican, my work site. I had made a few friends in town, but was still feeling a little lonely and missing home.

Now, you might wonder...in small town Guatemala, how did it take us 2 months to run into each other? The thing is, I didn't spend a lot of time walking aimlessly around town at that point. There are two main roads in town. The road that Donal's house and store are on happens to not be the road that I normally traveled. The internet cafe I used and the stores I shopped in were all on the other road. So, I spent 2 months in site without ever even walking down the road he lived on. Donal says now that he saw me ONE time during those 2 months and thought I was too pretty to talk to=).

I always went to the same internet cafe in those days. One of the teachers at the schools I worked at owned the internet and gave me a little discount. So, I spent a lot of time there writing e-mails to family and friends and everything. Naturally, I started being friends with the guy that worked at the internet cafe, Abner. We never hung out or anything, but every time I went there we said hi and chatted a little.

So, one day, I went to the internet and one of Abner's friends was in there using the internet as well. His name was Donal. So, while we all used the internet, we started talking and joking around. I have no idea what we talked about, but when it got to be closing time, the two of them invited me to go eat dinner with them. I said yes.

We went to a cafe in the neighboring town and ate dinner and kept talking and joking. I had a lot of fun, although I don't remember what we even talked about. I remember when we were in the car on the way back to town they asked me to sing a song to them and I did. I thought they were both a lot of fun and thought we might have dinner again someday.

There was no exchange of phone numbers, no future plans. I still didn't have a reason to go down the street less-traveled in town. Two weeks would go by until I would even see Donal again.

Play-by-play

The moment you have all been waiting for.

Ramirez-Stanaway productions proudly presents the engagement play-by-play that took the breath away of your favorite leading lady....

Valentine's Day Eve 2010. Dinnertime. The best and maybe only good Indian Restaurant south of the border. Empty restaurant. Two nervous lovebirds nervously choke down their spicy lamb curry and cashew chicken. Tension is in the air.

So, let's just say I was suspicious. I know there are a lot of guys that do their very best to give their girls a heart attack with surprising proposals. Other guys are not admired for their subtlety and we love them for it. This belonged to the second group.


The week before, there were lots of ring questions. Not your typical walk-through-the-mall-and-tell-me-what-you-like kind of questions, but more like "ok, so you like white gold, right?". There was also the ring-trying-on for finger size and little clues like "I am planning a REALLY good Valentine's day present for you..."

So, let's just say...I was hoping. Right before dinner, Donal said something to the effect of "I'm going to go buy you a ring, I'll be right back..." and my hopes were confirmed.

Then there was the excruciating wait through dinner. We got to the restaurant and sat down, ordered food, and tried to distract ourselves until present-opening time. We took away some of the tension by taking some really ugly pictures with funny faces that I have been forbidden to publish.

Then, it was finally time to open presents. I received a little gift bag with Snoopy on it ( Who doesn't love Snoopy?) and inside was a gold box. Inside the gold box was a little ring-shaped box. Donal took the ring box out for me and opened it. Dum Dum Dum


He said "Tu eres la cosa mas bonita que me haya pasado en la vida y si algun dia tenemos que estar aparte, quiero que sea por que Dios haya llevado a uno de nosotros al cielo." Which means: You are the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to me in my whole life and if someday we have to be separated, I want it to be because God has taken one of us up to heaven.

I know, right? I am pretty sure after that (kind of a blur) there was a yes and some kisses involved. AH!

After some resizing for large American fingers, I had my beautiful ring on my finger and I was ENGAGED!

Two years ago when everyone insisted I would marry a Guatemalan I thought they were crazy! Who would have thought?

So, we don't know where, when, or how, but Donal and I love each other and we are GETTING MARRIED!