Palm Springs
July 8th, 2010
After a few weeks of dating we went to Palm Springs together. The first night there we went to dinner downtown at Maracas Mexican Restaurant. That night was the first time we told each other, "I love you."
In April we returned to Palm Springs and stayed at the same hotel, The Andreas. We went to Maracas for dinner. When I went to the bathroom Case asked a nearby patron if he would take our photo and he told the group that he would be proposing. When I came back Case asked if I wanted to snap a photo at "our table" where we said I love you 7 months earlier. I thought he just knew me well and understood my photography fanaticism.
We went to take the picture and Case got down on one knee and proposed. Everyone in the restaurant was watching and some stranger even yelled, "Say yes!" Which, of course, I did. The rest of the weekend was picture perfect and I felt like the luckiest girl in the world.
OUR FIRST YEAR
Mimi's 50th birthday at a gorgeous luau style party.
We spent the first weekend of June sunbathing on our roof and going to the Chili Cook-off in Tustin. We also went to a wedding registry event at Macy's where we won a $225.00 set of knives and, we had a romantic date at Ruth's Chris afterward.
Rosenberg Firm Christmas Party
11.26.2011
10.9.2010
9.26.2010
9.19.2010
9.11.2010
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
Nicole:
I had just graduated from USD and my sister, Rachelle, had just finished law school. I had finished school a semester late, because I had spent a year in Europe. My mom was distraught when she found out that Rachelle and I would have our graduation ceremonies on the same day, at the same time, 500 miles apart. To me this was a non-issue and, I assured my mom that I approved of staying at a swanky hotel in San Francisco with my big sister rather than attending my graduation. I am always one for an adventure and going out in the city with my sister sounded like a much better plan than sitting in the sun listening to strangers trying to be inspirational. So, the family headed to SF and our first night there my sister and I had a quiet dinner in the city. Over drinks she told me about a party that her friend was having for graduation. She then told me that the friend hosting was very cute and that I should be on the lookout. Most young, single girls would be thrilled. My response? "No way. I would NEVER date an attorney." I agreed to go to the party. I disagreed to show interest in this boy. We crossed paths that night at his party. He was inebriated, to say the least and the first words out of his mouth upon meeting me were, "Has anyone ever told you that you look like J Lo?" (Yes.... as in Jennifer Lopez...) He continued to call me J Lo all night and even had other party goers doing the same. I was right. Attorneys were just not for me.
Case:
I graduated from law school in May of 2004. My parents came up from Southern California and Maggie came in from New York. When my family gets together it can get weird. The night of my graduation we did have a party at my apartment. I vaguely recall referring to Nicole as JLo, but it was only because she asked everyone at the party to call her that. I also vaguely remember my mom putting on my cap and gown and dancing through the living room with my roommate. So there was a lot going on. I had no idea that the woman who would eventually make my life so beautiful was so close.
Nicole:
That is ridiculous... I asked him to call me J Lo? Anyway, I left the city and spent the next 6 years enjoying my twenties. I continued to travel all over and went back to Spain, Hawaii, the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Peru, Argentina, Portugal, and France... I worked full time at a wholesale lender and put myself through graduate school. I took art and dance classes at community colleges for fun and dated a whole bunch of awful guys. I taught fourth grade in Newport Beach for three years before starting a private tutoring company called TLC (The Learning Center) in the OC.
Case:
I spent the next 6 years enjoying my twenties. I traveled through Europe with one of my great friends, Paco. I worked in San Francisco for another year before returning home to Orange County to begin my career as a criminal defense attorney. I protected the good citizens of Orange County from the tyrannies of the District Attorney's Office and had fun with my degenerate coworkers at the Public Defender's Office.
And We finally come together...
Nicole:
In the summer of 2010 I received an instant message on Facebook from a former co-worker, Carolyn Snyder. She said that her and her husband had the perfect person for me to date. She sent me photos off of his Facebook and I asked her the important questions such as: does he do "guys night out" once a week? doe he party a lot? Is he smart? driven?... and probably other questions relating to if he plays video games, or is refusing to grow up. To say that Case had to prove himself, is an under-statement.
Case:
During the summer of 2010, my friends Kevin and Carolyn Snyder told me that they had someone they wanted to set me up with (mainly Carolyn). Carolyn told me that she taught elementary school with this girl and that the girl was driven and had a passion for everything she did. Getting set up with someone was probably the last thing I wanted to do at the time, but Carolyn hooked us up on Facebook anyway. After Facebook stalking her, I decided that it would be worth giving her a call.
Nicole:
Case and I exchanged texts and Facebook messages for a week or so. I despise talking on the phone so we had never even heard each others voices when we finally met. I never really gave it much thought as to if we would date or not.
Case:
After several attempts, we were finally able to arrange a meeting. I picked her up on a Saturday and we went to La Cave in Costa Mesa. I thought she was beautiful and smart. And I laughed....a lot.
Nicole:
I was at a friend's party drinking white wine when I decided I would send Case a text asking if he wanted to meet up later. Yes, I asked HIM out and, yes... it was a tiny bit of liquid courage. He agreed and we decided that he would pick me up later that night. We went to have a drink at La Cave which was very close to my house. I didn't want to be too far from home in case I needed to walk back. This guy could be a complete nut. I pretty much did all of the talking but I did notice that case laughed.... A LOT. I told him crazy travel tales and all about the insane parents that I dealt with at my private school in Newport. About 2 hours into the conversation I realized that I should probably ask Case what he did for work. I knew he was an attorney but I had no idea what he did specifically. He told me he was a public defender and, I had no idea what that meant. I was still really worried about this whole attorney thing though. However, he didn't really seem like your typical attorney. He laughed much too often and, much too heartily to be an attorney. He also smiled too much.
Case:
I told my friends on Monday that the date didn't go well because she didn't seem interested. When I had dropped her off at her house she made a comment about how dirty my car was for an attorney and then ran out of my car and in to her house before I could even open my car door.
Nicole:
Case drove me home and suddenly the thought crossed my mind that a. this guy might try to kiss me or b. he might want to come inside my house. We pulled up to my front gate, I quickly thanked him, and then I proceeded to run into my house and lock the door. I lived alone and, again, this guy could be a nut. After all, he really didn't talk that much.
Case:
Despite all indications that the date went poorly, I was given another chance. I took her to El Matador Restaurant that Thursday Night. We connected. We both laughed and discovered how similarly we saw life and what we both wanted out of it (And I brought her dog Stella a toy...which didn't hurt).
Nicole:
We went on our first real date to dinner in Newport. This time I was really nervous and I barely ate anything (something that would never occur again). We talked for hours and realized that we were pretty much the same person. It blew my mind to hear how similarly we viewed life and how closely our goals and dreams were aligned.
Case:
A few weeks later we were in Palm Springs enjoying our first weekend away together. It was nothing short of amazing. We both realized something special was happening. We were in love. We first shared "I love you's" sitting outside a cheesy little Palm Springs restaurant called "Maracas." Almost six months from that day, I asked Nicole to be my wife at the same spot where we first exchanged "I love you's."
Nicole:
I first knew that I loved him in Palm Springs. We continued to spend every possible moment together and we went to Costa Rica for Christmas. It was in Costa Rica, while sitting on a fallen tree on the beach, that I knew I wanted to marry Case. We had watched the sunset in Santa Teresa and I had run around in the waves like a little kid, snapping photographs. I remember looking at Case sitting on the beach and seeing the happiness in his eyes. We were talking and it just hit me. I knew we would be together forever. I started crying and right at that moment, (this sounds so ridiculously made up but, I promise it is true) horses, unaccompanied by anyone, ran by us through the waves. It was night, the beach was empty, and we sat in awe as we watched this unfold in front of us. I will never forget that moment in my life.
Case:
I can't wait to celebrate our love story with all our friends and to make this amazing woman my wife.
Nicole:
It has been incredible to share life with Case. We work together in all areas of life and we are truly an equal team. We share our dreams, goals, fears, joys, and our struggles. We are excited to build our life together and I trust him with my life and with my heart as I have never trusted anyone before. I love him and he is going to be the most supportive husband a girl could ever ask for. It also helps that he is quite hot. :)
