Our love story began in 2006 with the Island Warriors football team. Javis played football and Nanea was a water girl. We got to know each other just by hanging out with all of our friends and running around the field after practices or games.
We were so young, but we there was an undeniable sense of peace and ease with each other. We were both very serious about school, our families, and being on track for the future we envisioned for ourselves. Our parents were very good about keeping us in check, so the beginning of our relationship was limited to football games, practices, and lots of time on the phone.
We were the best of friends and we kept each other a priority even with schoolwork, sports, clubs, and just being teenagers. Jav has always been so laid back, fun, and understanding. He made it so easy to fall in love with him!
I've always felt that Jav keeps me grounded and balances my crazy. I'm sure he would agree that I challenge him to test limits and to seek adventure. We feel that we balance and complement each other pretty well.
We grew up together and being able to witness each other's successes and downfalls firsthand has been such a blessing. We've promised each other that we would always encourage each other's growth by letting the other be their own person.
We have since graduated from college, bought our first home, and accomplished so many of the things we dreamed about as young teenagers. As long as this guy is with me, I have no doubt that our futures will be everything we could imagine and more.
There is a special place in Maui where my dad would go fishing when he and my mom first started their journey together. It is serene, sacred, and almost untouched. It has always been a favorite spot of my family's, and we knew we had to bring Jav there the first time we took him to Maui. The magic of that place is unreal, and he immediately fell in love with it too.
When we went back to Maui in 2017 there was no doubt we would again visit this place, but I had no idea how much more special it would become. In the same spot my parents had spent so many hours fishing and providing for their new family, Jav asked me to marry him and start our lives together.
It's been quite the ride thus far, and we are ecstatic to see what the future holds! Thank you for being a part of this journey. We can't wait to see you all on the big day.