It was a beautiful summer afternoon on July 26, 2003. The sun was shining bright, and the weather was just perfect. I asked Charmaine to join me for a trip to the mall in Walnut Creek, knowing it would be a day to remember.

After parking at the far side of the mall near the corner of South Main St. and Mt. Diablo Blvd., we made our way to Tiffany & Co.. As we entered the store, I felt my heart race. This was it. Turning to Charmaine, I said, “I’d like to formalize our engagement today. Choose your ring—I hope I’ve been worth the wait.”

The look on her face was priceless; her smile lit up the entire store. When she wrapped her arms around me in a hug that felt like a warm embrace from the universe, I knew this was the beginning of our forever.