Our Love Story
First We Met
April 07, 2018
We first met at church during Thanksgiving Day. I still remember the moment our eyes met by chance while we were both buying something at the store. He smiled at me, but I didn’t smile back, thinking he was probably smiling at someone else behind me.
As time went on and we continued attending regular church services, he grew close to my mom, even forming a friendship with her before me. My mom would often tease me, saying, “That’s my boyfriend, Maica,” because she found him handsome, respectful, and well-mannered. I ignored it at first, convinced he was a little too confident for me to notice.
Then in 2019, when my mom passed away, I learned that he had quietly been there for us, taking charge of security and watching over everyone during my mom’s wake. It was a small but meaningful gesture that showed me his character.
First Date
June 22, 2021
By 2021, after the pandemic, our paths crossed again during a church activity. I had accidentally left my copper mask behind, and while searching for it, he was the first person I thought to ask for help. I messaged him on Facebook, and that simple act became the start of our conversations, our laughs, and slowly, a bond that grew stronger with every message.
At that time, I was living in Parañaque because of work. One day, he insisted on sending me to my boarding house. At first, I thought he was joking, but he was serious. In the end, he really took me home, riding his Mio motorcycle, which he had nicknamed “Toothless.” I felt a little shy about him going out of his way for me, so I treated him to snacks at SM Parañaque before we headed to my boarding house. But before we even left the mall, he surprised me with a stuffed toy dog. I named it after him—“Jimnel”—and it became a sweet, unforgettable symbol of that day.
In A Relationship
December 29, 2023
After our first date, I thought that would be the only time we’d ever see each other. Life got busy, and our schedules didn’t align. Slowly, our chats stopped, and I even got frustrated with him, so I stopped reaching out. For months, we didn’t talk at all.
Then, in September 2023, I fell ill and realized that I had been unnecessarily harsh toward him. I decided to send him a message—just to check in and to apologize. That simple step reignited our connection. From that moment on, our conversations became regular again, and it eventually led to the day we officially became a couple. We went to Baguio and spent New Year at his family’s house in Kalinga — that was also the time he introduced me to his family.
We're Engaged
March 22, 2025
After I found out I was pregnant, we decided to wait until our baby girl, Mica, celebrated her first birthday before getting married. We wanted her to grow up surrounded by love and a strong sense of family. Life was hectic, so we focused on caring for our little one first, putting the wedding on hold until the right time.