Spring 2010, I found myself spinning into my second year tracking the elusive Kemp's ridley sea turtle at Padre Island National Seashore in Corpus Christi, TX. As with the start of any new season, a fresh batch of seasonal employees were primed and ready to hit the beach. Qutting his gig in California with the Fish and Wildlife Service, Adam had decided to accept one of the seasonal positions to return home.  During one of the many training presentations I led, I was about to demonstrate how to plug a tire, which, might I add, is an important skill when you are stranded 60 miles south on the longest undeveloped barrier island in the world.  With a quip Adam questioned, "Who in the world does not know how to do this?" I replied with a smile and realized that I had a volunteer and insisted that he lead the demonstration for the group.  Without surpise or delay, he jumped to the occasion to dazzle everyone with his superior tire pluggin' skills!

As the season literally drove on, Adam was always sure to stop and chat with me whenever our neverending patrol loops crossed paths. Repeatedly he invited me to go somewhere, anywhere with him - on a date, to a party, or out for drinks with the group. By early July, the smoldering South Texas heat had moved in and with it came the summer storms. After three months of extending invitation after invitation, I was sure he resolved to accept my avoidance tactics and passive declinations. The nesting season was drawing to a close and we were both scheduled for a final rotation 40 miles down island.  One evening during the trip I was exhausted and completely tired of sweating so I decided to turn off my present reality by going to bed early.  Maximizing the cooling effects of the Gulf breeze, I selected a bunk situated alongside an eastern window. Far away in la-la sleepland, shuffeling noises suddenly ripped me from my slumber.  Scowling out the window, I saw Adam scurrying around outside in the rain.  He had taken it upon himself to move the crew's gear onto the deck where it would remain high and dry until the start of patrols the next morning. In that instant my stubborn heart melted. Then it hit me, I had consecutively turned down a good hearted and incredibly dashing man. My mind reeled, WHAT IN THE WORLD HAD I BEEN THINKING AND WHY DID I NOT REALIZE THIS SOONER. Better late than never I supose and with that I smiled and turned over to formulate my plan after a nice, long night-nap.

The following day I casually chatted with Adam to find out his plans for the weekend. Come to find out he was headed to a wedding back home in Nacogdoches, TX. THWARTED, my mind squealed as if to poke fun at my previous obstinance.  Nonchalantly, I mentioned that we should meet up for a drink upon his return.  He tried to hide the giant smile budding behind his lips as he quickly agreed to touch base once he returned to Corpus... after all the ladyfish he was chasing was finally on the line.  

We met on the island to grab a drink and a quick bite to eat. Naturally, we hit it off spectacularly. More dates, fishing trips, camping trips, and family visits evolved into moving in together the following year. In 2012, Adam took his old job back in California and was gone for about a year before he landed his full-time, permanent gig with Texas Parks and Wildlife. On my birthday in 2013, we bought our first house together and have been working on home improvement projects, gardening, rasing chickens, duck, and dogs, graduate school, and taking time out to enjoy each other whenever possible. In 2015, Adam gave me the surprise of my life by asking for my hand! So here we are, 2016 and just a few weeks away from taking the plunge.          

I had gone to California straight out of college, just a lone bachelor and his dog.  When the money started to dry up, I started longing for home. I had found this really cush job rescuing sea turtles or something down in Corpus Christi, and all I could think about was cruising the beach looking at bikini babes and fighting redfish on the fly; a slacker's dream come true, really.  When I arrived I was playing it cool, staying quiet and aloof, but this one gal kinda caught my eye.  During training, she even called me out on my Fonz act. Not only is she good looking, she's got that self assured confidence...alright, she's worth looking into.

So the game was afoot!  Granted, it was a pretty one-sided game, but I was determined to wear her down.  Every chance I got, I would make sure to intercept her and pass along an invite to parties or a casual drink, or any excuse I could think of to get some one on one time outside of work.  I was checking the parking lot for her car, monitoring the radio to determine how far out of my patrol loop I had to go to "accidentally" run into 803; you know, some serious stalker moves.  But every time, I was met with rejection.  Try as I might, I was starting to lose faith.  Maybe my game wasn't as on point as I believed.  Maybe my Rico Suave persona was on the decline!! I had pretty much resolved myself to defeat, which is not among the easiest of things for me to admit.  Sure, I'd still perk up at the sight of a white patrol Tahoe on the horizon, but I knew it was going to be the same old song and dance. But I sure did like talking to that pretty lady in the Tahoe, and I wasn't going to quit trying altogether.

Then came that night down island at the cabin.  I don't remember much about it, heck, I was just doing what I always did.  It was threatening rain, I was the last one up, so I battoned down the hatches.  But, I guess that's what it took.  Shortly thereafter, on July 7th, Shauna and I were sitting on top of a high sand dune behind the cabin just chatting away and winding down another patrol day.  I could tell something was different.  She just looked at me with a little more interest, I guess.  The sun was going down and the mosquitoes were multiplying, time was running out and my courage was wavering. Now or Never!  As we walked down the dune, I made sure nobody was looking and I planted one on her. Her reaction was PRICELESS! She grinned, blushed, and ran off squealing like a little girl.  I may have hesitated, but I knew my aim was true and I'd got 'er.

We started dating and September came around. Summer love happens so fast...My time in Corpus was coming to an end and I had an offer to go back to California.  Then the chief of the Natural Resources division in the park offered me another job that would keep me on full time.  It was a tough decision, but I was in love!  I had to give this relationship a chance.