Tim and I met on an online dating app during the pandemic in 2021. At the time, I was working 12-hour shifts as a medical scribe while completing the last semester of my undergraduate degree. Because of my hectic schedule, I didn’t have time to date the traditional way and meet someone in person. Tim, a teacher, was also trying to navigate the dating world during COVID. I had grown tired of the online dating scene and decided I would delete the app since I hadn’t found anyone who seemed like a potential match. However, the day before Thanksgiving, while I was preparing for one of my best friends’ birthdays, I received a notification that Tim had liked my profile. His profile intrigued me; he mentioned being a teacher, and he had a naturally positive vibe. Typically, I would move on if someone simply liked my profile without sending a message, but something about Tim felt different. I decided to take a chance and started the conversation by asking, “What subjects do you teach?” He responded quickly, and we exchanged messages for two weeks. The rest, as they say, is history.

For our first date, I chose a Thai restaurant near my home in Frisco, and Tim drove from Dallas to meet me. When we arrived, we found out that the restaurant was closed for a few hours. Feeling embarrassed, I suggested another nearby Thai restaurant, and Tim agreed. I offered to drive us over since I genuinely felt comfortable in his presence. It felt like catching up with an old friend.

At the new restaurant, we bonded over our families, goals, and similar upbringings. After lunch, Tim suggested a walk so we could continue getting to know each other, so I suggested we walk around Frisco Square. I did not realize it was the day of the annual Christmas Tree Lighting! They were getting everything set up for the event that would take place that evening. I remembered a hill with a great view of the city and took him there to watch the sunset. We sat together, shared our hopes for the future, and agreed that we both felt a special connection. We returned to the Square just in time for the tree lighting and took our first picture together. There were adorable children’s choirs singing, people caroling, and even fake snow falling—it felt like we were in a Hallmark movie! All the fun Christmas activities made it the perfect backdrop for our first date. It truly couldn’t have been more magical!

Fast-forward to our proposal story. Tim has always been clear about his intentions. At the beginning of 2023, he told me he would propose at some point during the year, but I just didn’t know when. We were planning to have our first combined family Thanksgiving celebration, so I thought it might happen then. However, during my birthday weekend, we went to Colorado, and it was Tim’s first time there.

As we drove around, making several stops in Rocky Mountain National Park, I showed Tim all the places my friends and I had previously visited on a previous trip. Each stop was rather crowded, but we enjoyed being together in nature and soaking in the magnificent views of the mountains and the sunset. Eventually, we arrived at our last stop, the Snow Play area. We hiked back to some park benches nestled under tall evergreen trees. The ground was covered in snow, which led to a little snow fight, and we soon realized we were the only ones in that section of the park.

I noticed Tim suddenly became quiet, and his facial expressions changed. He mentioned that he couldn’t believe we were there. Initially, I thought he was merely overwhelmed by the beauty surrounding us, but then he started to tear up and looked at me strangely. That’s when he took my hands and said, “I think you already know what is about to happen.” He then got down on one knee right in front of a large evergreen tree and asked me to marry him!

I was completely at a loss for words, trembling with excitement and disbelief. I screamed, cried, and almost passed out! Meanwhile, Tim was kneeling on a rock and clearly in pain. He brought me back to reality by asking if that was a yes. I finally said yes! It was the best birthday I had ever experienced, and it’s a day I will always remember.

Once we found a spot in the park with cell service, we called our parents, who revealed to me they had known all along about Tim’s proposal plan. I wouldn’t have it any other way, and I can honestly say that little Monique got her fairytale proposal.