The One Where It Finally Happened

For those that have wondered why it’s been so long since we’ve last written a blog post, please let us explain. So much has been going on for us this past year- a whole global pandemic thanks to COVID, the loss of Katie’s job, which plunged her into focusing on the family business, the loss of our family matriarch, Mirtha Simbala, which brought a new mental health diagnosis, and navigating our inner worlds and life altogether. Covid definitely tested our relationship as it did most polyam & mono alike. I mean, who didn’t struggle after being stuck indoors for 2 years?! Alas, we decided to take a triad vacay for my birthday.

Miami seemed like a great place to get away. We knew we wanted to disconnect with good people, good vibes and good food! I reconnected with an old friend who is a private chef in Miami. He casually mentioned he could cook us dinner on a yacht. Umm, yasss! We knew this was the move! Although I was part of a lot of the planning for the trip, there was a sweet surprise that snuck in there, which ended up being the cherry on top.

It had been awhile since we had gotten photos taken of us, and so Katie and Luis planned a sunrise photoshoot at the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. I had no idea where the shoot was taking place, and I took on my usual role of coordinating everyone’s outfits and left the rest to Katie and Luis. I didn’t think much of it because it’s not unusual for us to hire a photographer to take photos of us.

We woke up at 4:00am to start getting ready and arrived to the shoot right at sunrise. We had the entire garden to ourselves and it was magical. Upon arrival you notice all the lush greenery and the beautiful Spanish architecture. It was eye candy from the moment we saw the entrance.

Colleen, our photographer, met with us and we began to walk around taking photos. We stumbled upon this one part of the garden where she positioned us and began to snap some photos. “Ok Raquel, now I want you to walk towards me” she said. I walked forward and began to play with my dress.

“Beautiful, Raquel! You’re doing great. Okay, now I want you to turn around”.

When I turned around I saw Luis and Katie down on their knees with the ring box open. My jaw dropped and I all I thought was “OMG IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?! OKAY RAQ, WAIT FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHER TO COME AROUND TO CATCH YOUR FACIAL EXPRESSION! OMG THE RING IS BEAUTIFUL! AHHHH THIS IS REAL!!”.

While all this was going through my head, I heard Katie and Luis tell me “We propose we do all the legal paperwork so you can legally adopt Lukas, legally take our last name, and get the power of attorneys done so that the three of us can hold equal power in the dynamic. When we get all the paperwork done, to be as married as we can be, we’ll throw one epic ass party to celebrate our union. We know we can’t legally marry one another but we want to do it as legit as we can. Will you be our life partner?”. With such joy in my heart I said “oh my God, yes!!”. Apparently, it took a team of our bestest gal pals to help pick my ring and let me tell you, they did an amazing job.

Later that day we celebrated our engagement on a yacht, partied with our friends, jumped in the Biscayne bay, ate some bomb ass Colombian food, which was cooked by my friend and chef Diego Botero, and basked in the goodness that the day brought us.

I brought in year 28 with an abundance of love, joy, laughter, food and good vibes. I remember sitting on the top part of the yacht by myself for a few minutes and allowing my tears to freely flow. Good tears. Tears that reflected such gratitude for what I was experiencing, and sensing that this was just the beginning for me this year. I truly am grateful for each beautiful experience during that vacation, for each soul that accompanied us on that trip to celebrate me…to celebrate us. I can’t believe that I got an engagement that was more beautiful than I ever imagined for myself.

I can’t say that telling our parents was easy and full of joy, but we’ve learned that the emotions they feel are not ours to take on. While it sucks not being able to celebrate a beautiful milestone with family members, we had an amazing group of chosen family that was overjoyed for us and that cheers us on.

Katie and Luis, thank you for the intentionality, thoughtfulness, details and love that you constantly show me just to see me smile and laugh. I don’t know what I did to find two people who absolutely love me, but I’m so glad our souls found each other. Thank you for putting so much thought and detail into an engagement that was to die for. If I could relive that experience all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.