On Tuesday April 8, 2003 at 5:00 PM I went to K-Mart, which was something I did not do very often. I would always go to Wal-Mart instead of K-mart, but my friend Jhae’ron asked me to go with him to get some pictures developed. When we arrived at the store; we walked in, it was very hot and it smelled like Jelly fish in there. I was trying to hurry to get out of there.

Krista and Phanel

 As we walked towards the photo lab to drop the pictures off, I could only notice one thing, the guy working there was really attractive. I wanted to say something to him, but I was speechless. After we dropped the pictures off for next day service, Jhae’ron realized that he wanted the pictures back the same day; therefore, we went back and switched the order to one hour photo service instead. Since it was only an hour, we stayed in the store to shop for some items that we needed. We got paper towels, dish soap, shampoo, and some other things. While we were shopping time went by fast, so we went back to the photo lab. When we got there, the pictures were not completely ready. Jhae’ron was talking to that good-looking guy who works there. They were talking about different kinds of languages. After a while the guy finally told us his name, it was Phanel. He also told us he was from Haiti, he is a student at Embry Riddle and he is majoring in Aviation Business Administration. I was really impressed by what I had learned about him during the short ten- fifth teen minute’s conversation. The whole time they were talking I really didn’t say much, I just stood there and stared at him. I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. When Jhae’ron’s pictures were done we got them, and then left. I went to my house after we left the store.
 
Phanel

Now it was time for me to tell my sister about this cute guy I met at K-mart. I told my sister Taylor that I met this really attractive guy at K-Mart and I really wanted to get to know  to know him. “I have to go back there Taylor”, I said. Taylor suggested that I take a picture of this guy Isiah in order to get it enlarged since I have always wanted to do that. I convinced my sister Taylor to go back to the store with me so I could see him again. We walked in the store, and I took the Isiah’s picture to him for enlargement. When I got there he was about to close, but he helped me enlarge the picture. While he was teaching me how to use the picture maker to enlarge the picture, my sister was in the store looking for a bathing suit to buy. We talked the whole time about school, his job, the websites that he has done, and other things. Once Taylor found the bathing suit she wanted, I had her come and meet the guy that I was talking about the whole day. After we paid for everything, he asked me for my phone number, and he gave me his phone number on one of his business cards. I was really excited that he asked for my phone number, but I did not really think he was going to call especially so soon. When we left K-Mart it was about 9:00 PM.

Krista and her sister Taylor at Chanute

My sister and I went on beachside, to the Daytona Beach Regency. We were going to go swimming, and my sister was meeting her friend Freddy as well. My phone was going dead, so I plugged it in by the bathrooms. One of the guys who worked there picked up my phone because he thought someone had lost it. I was worried that I was not going to get my phone back; most importantly I was waiting for Phanel to call. I went to the hotel attendant and asked “did anybody returned a cell phone?” and he replied “oh yeah”. After providing him with identification, he gave me my cell phone back. I noticed that I had missed a lot of phone calls. I was hoping that none was from Phanel, but then after about twenty minutes my phone rang.
 

He asked me if I was busy. I said “No” so he asked if he could come and get me. He came and picked me up from my house after I gave him directions. He pulled up in front of my house; he was driving a dark green 2000 Toyota Echo. I came out, got in his car, and we started talking about a lot of thing, we were getting to know each other. Then we went to the Sun Splash Park on beachside, and we walked on the beach for a while. All night that night he kept making me laugh. He was really fun to be around.
 

When Friday finally came, he picked me up at my house at about 5:00PM; we drove to Orlando to Universal City Walk to see a movie. We didn’t know what movie we were going to see, but when we got there we decided to see “Anger Management”. After the movie we just walked around, and we took a picture together in one of the picture booths. After we left the theater he took me home.

As time passed we got closer, and he wanted me to meet his family, so he asked me if I could go to Miami with him, so I said yes I would. We left on April 25, 2003 to go to Miami. After about four hours of driving we finally got to Miami. When we got there it was about 12:00AM. We were tired, so we went right to sleep. We stayed at his sister’s, Jeannette. While we were in Miami Phanel took me to a lot of different places such as Muvico Paradise Movie theatre, Boomers, America Airline Arena, Biscayne Bay, Swap Shop drive in movie in Broward, and the malls. We went to a lot of places; we had a lot of fun together. We even went to one of his friend’s wedding. We stayed in Miami for one week.

 
Phanel & Krista
after the graduation

Phanel can be so so romantic. He called Red Lobster, made a reservation, then invited me to dinner. When we got there after being seated we talked about everything. He wrote a letter and poem in advance: 
"As you read this letter, we are both sitting at Red Lobster. I can see you smiling, I love your beautiful smile. You are so beautiful, your beauty lights the whole room. I am so lucky to have you in my life......



They said we'd never make it.
But now we've come this far.
Today we celebrate our love
 and honor who we are.

We had a hard beginning,
but being with each other 
growing in love together 
makes us one.

You are my life, my love, my hope, my soul
My friend, my world, my song,
The mirror of my unseen heart,
The place where I belong 

And as our one life passes
Through love we live for two:
Krista, baby you made me realize what love is all about. You have changed my life and continue to change my life in so many ways. I've fallen so in love with you. You made my dreams all come true. No matter where life takes us, we will be together forever. I could never imagine a day goes by without you in it somehow. I couldn't myself write a script to our love story. I thought something this special could never come true. But for all these years I've waited, I'm so thankful for you. I can hardly wait for the day when you become my wife. From that day forward you will be forever by my side. I want you to know I've committed myself to be by your side forever. I will always be there for you through happiness and sadness, every step of the way. We have already shared so many memories. I look forward to more great memories we will make. I look forward to the thousand of family pictures I will be taken. I look forward to us raising our kids. I look forward to all the family trips with our kids. I look forward to this great new chapter in our life. There is one final thing I want to say to you. From now on to the end of time I commit myself to you. "

Then he dropped down on his knees in front of everybody in the restaurant and asked me to marry him "wew". I was shocked and happy. I said yes of course, I love him so much, he is my everything.

After we left the beach, we went to his dorm. At the time he was living at Chanute which is a dorm for Embry Riddle. When we got there he introduced me to his roommate Shang, who is Korean. We sat in the living room and watched television. Time went by really fast, before we knew it was already 3:00 in the morning. He asked me when will he see me again, “whenever you want to see me” I replied hoping that he would ask me out again. Fortunately, he did ask me to go to the movies with him. He said he had to work the rest of the week, but he is off on Friday. I couldn’t wait for Friday to come. From then, he called me everyday.
 

From then we talked everyday on the phone. On Monday April 14, 2003, we went to the movies again. This time we went the Ocean Walk right by the beach, and we saw Basic, a movie by John Travolta. After the movie, we went walking on the beach and that’s when we first kissed, it was a beautiful night just the way I wanted it. After that we started spending more and more time together.

When we came back to Daytona, I got him to meet my family, everybody felt in love with him including my dad. I couldn’t believe my dad liked him. My dad never liked any guy I have dated; he wanted to shoot them all. I am glad that Phanel get along fine with my family. He is a very sweet guy, he treats me like a princess, he is funny, and intelligent.
Our plan was once he finishes school and gets a job, we would move wherever and be together happily ever after, but unfortunately things didn't go as planned.... read on.....