I first met David when I was just 17 — the definition of innocent. I had zero experience with serious boyfriends, and my biggest goal in life was still to marry Chris Kirkpatrick from NSYNC (hey, dreams do come true, right?).

It was my first job — car hopping at Sonic Drive-In — and David had just moved from Mexico and was staying with Betty (my Mexican mom) who also worked there. One day, David came to pick Betty up after she’d finished watching her kids while she worked. I remember glancing over at the back of the store while I was working, seeing him for the first time, and thinking, “That’s my Mexican boyfriend.” (Yes, you heard that right!)

Betty, of course, being the tease that she is, made me tell David what I’d said. As awkward as any 17-year-old would be, there was no way I was repeating that to him. But after a bit of prodding, I did. And David didn’t react at all. He just… shook his head. Turns out, he didn’t understand a word I said! David didn’t speak English yet, so Betty translated my “awkward crush moment” for him, and to my surprise, he just laughed and said, “Sí.”

At the time, I knew about 4 years of high school Spanish, so I would try to speak to him, but let’s just say, the Spanish they teach in school is a little different from what was actually spoken in David’s world. Still, we all had so much fun together — going out with our group of friends, trying all the best taco places, Mexican clubs, and even Betty’s legendary house parties. We danced, we laughed, and we made some of the best memories.

We never romantically connected back then — mostly due to the language barrier — but there was always something there. Then, life took us on two different paths. I went my way, and David went his. But, in 2015, after 10 years apart, we reconnected.

When I saw David again for the first time in all those years, I gave him the biggest hug, and the first thing I said was: “You speak English now!” We went to dinner, talked for hours, and when I left, I remember feeling like I was whole again.

Now, here we are — a beautiful, blended family of five, and after all that time and distance, I’m finally getting to marry “my Mexican boyfriend.” We may have taken the long road to get here, but I wouldn’t change a thing.