She told me that my father and I were supposed to visit her father to announce that we wanted to get married, then her father would either give or deny permission. I found that odd. Why would one go to all that trouble without knowing the girl said yes. Since, I found out that the couple decide first, then the man’s father asks for the girl’s father’s BLESSING. (evidently that is a word the translator got wrong). Needless to say, we decided to detour from the custom just a little and ask for her father’s blessing in Tulsa at my father’s house. And he actually gave his blessing.

We went to the beach and that’s when it hit me. I know how to ask now. When we were walking out to the beach, I grabbed the ring and put it in my pocket and when we stopped, I asked if she would like a piece of candy. Then I said: “You know what would make a great story about those three stars?” I pointed to the stars in Orion’s belt. She looked up to the sky. Then I said, “It would be great to tell our grandchildren that was the last thing you saw before I asked you to marry me.” I had the ring out when she turned around. Lizeth started crying. I went down to my knee and in Spanish I asked, “would you be my wife for the rest of my life?” She was crying “NO, NO, NO, NO, NO...” I said, “NO?” She said, “NO, I mean YES!!! YES!!! YES!!!” Then it was off to tell her family it was official and make plans for the wedding.