Zef's Side of the Story...

The first encounter was at Hillview Crest Elementary School (Home of the Hooters) in 1985. In Ms. Savala’s kindergarten class, we spent a year playing, painting, and watching our class caterpillar transform into a beautiful butterfly in the playground bushes. (Even though, I spent a good part of the year going home sick with a “stomach ache”). At the end of the school year, my family moved from Hayward to Newark, unknowing that little girl named Esperanza Ramirez who was my classmate and neighbor would later end up being my future wife.

The second encounter happened at James Logan High School in 1996 when I transferred from Newark Memorial. It was a junior year English Literature class that reunited the one time class mates. Along with reminiscing of our kindergarten memories, I would “bug” her everyday, make a birthday hat out of the funny pages (which she still has), and walk her to class. But destiny had a slightly different course for us at the moment. Esperanza decided to set me up with her friend, but we ended up spending more time talking on the phone with each other than I did with my “girlfriend”. Needless to say, our friendship ended that year as did my relationship with her friend. The third and deciding encounter happened at the end of the school year in 1998 at the senior picnic. It was at the Modesto Water Slides that we would meet again, Esperanza in a Black and White Polka Dot Bikini, and I with a blue towel tied around my neck like a cape. We would later exchange phone numbers (again) even though I had a girlfriend at the time. That summer we became a couple...

From there, we went through the on/off college relationship with Esperanza at California State University Hayward and I at Santa Clara University. We were able to make it through those difficult times by growing, maturing, and accepting each other for who they really are. I am know able to truly see how lucky I am to have such a loving woman, who supports me, cares for me, and who would go to the end of the earth for me. I only hope that she knows how much I appreciate her and that I would do anything for her. Currently, we are blessed with a beautiful home, good health, jobs we love, friends, family and much more. We have also been able to begin our site seeing adventures of places like Florida, New York, and Guatemala (next stop).

Since college graduation, I have realized just how blessed we are and my greatest desire is to nurture the relationship that we have in hopes that the good fortune continues and we will be able to work through the bad times that may arise.

Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity thank you all for the support and love that you have given us through out the years, individually and as a couple. You have all played an intricate roll in our development and success through the years. I feel honored and blessed to have my close family and friends celebrating the start of this new chapter in our lives and hope that all of you know how important you are to us and how much you mean to us. We love you all.

Esperanza's Side of the Story…

It all began back in kindergarten where all I remember was knowing there was another person in my class that had a Spanish sounding name. I don’t ever remember talking to him or even playing with him. (We didn’t realize it until one day while going through his pictures; I saw a picture of MY kindergarten class in his album, we quickly realized that it was OUR kindergarten class.) He moved away the next year and we did not see each other again until junior year in high school when I tried hooking him up with a friend of mine. (Obviously that relationship didn’t work out.) While talking to him on the phone arranging a date between him and my friend, I realized how much I enjoyed talking to him. It was then that I knew I had to stop talking to him because he was supposed to be with my friend. So, it wasn’t until our senior year picnic that I saw him again and we began talking. After graduation we continued going out, and a few months after got together.

Now eight years later, having gone through ups and downs, as everyone does, we find ourselves ready to take the next step. Although the road has not been easy, it has helped us to grow, respect and love one another more than ever. I feel that we are now in a stage in our lives where we accept our differences and are able to continue to love each other in spite of them. We continue to enjoy spending time together, and are also aware of the fact that we both need our space once in a while. He’s become my best friend and my confidant.

In the future I hope we continue to enjoy spending time together and still being in love with each other. I hope we are able to grow old together while always trying to keep the other happy. I hope that together we can travel the world and explore new places. I hope to continue to learn more about each other and be able to look back and see how much we’ve grown together. I mainly hope to be able to make him as happy as he has made me and to be able to continue to be with each other through thick and thin.

Thank you to all in advanced for sharing this moment with us. We really appreciate all of the help and support that everyone has offered.