Hotel Info

There are of course many hotels in Dallas, but here are a few options that are close to the church and to the site of our reception.

Double Tree Campbell Centre
8250 North Central Expressway
Dallas, TX 75206
214-691-8700
* This is the site of our reception. If you stay here be sure to mention that you are a guest of the Cobleigh - Cooley wedding when you book your room.

Courtyard by Marriott
10325 North Central Expressway
Dallas, TX 75231
214-739-2500

La Quinta Inn & Suites
10001 North Central Expressway
Dallas, TX 75231
214-361-8200

Holiday Inn Select
10650 North Central Expressway
Dallas, TX 75231
1-800-325-2621

Meet the Wedding Party

Michelle Federico : : Matron of Honor
Michelle and I met in the summer of 1995 when I started college at the University of South Florida. Our friendship began at the Baptist Student Union and Michelle was very influential in my decision to accept Christ while a student at USF. Michelle and her family have been a wonderful support to me over the past 10 years.

Meredith Neal : : Maid of Honor
Meredith and Gloria met in the Fall of 2002, while students at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS). Meredith introduced Gloria to the ministry of Buckner Orphan Care International (BOCI) and in November of 2003 she and Gloria traveled to Romania together for a Shoes for Orphan Souls mission trip. It was through Meredith’s recommendation and encouragement that Gloria applied to serve as the senior intern in Guatemala with BOCI for the summer of 2004. It was there, in Guatemala, where Daniel and Gloria first met. Meredith currently lives in Greer, South Carolina.

Christi McGraw : : Bridesmaid
Christi’s sister-in-law introduced Christi and Gloria to one another in the Fall of 2001. Christi and her husband Ben had just recently moved to the Fort Worth area to attend SWBTS. Gloria babysat for Christi and Ben’s, then two children, Evyn and Luke. Ben and Christi currently live in Greenville, Texas where they have started a church, Crosspoint Fellowship.

Sara Tate : : Bridesmaid
Sara and Gloria met in Barnard Hall, the ladies dorm, at SWBTS in September of 2002. Both Sara and Gloria attended Travis Avenue Baptist Church where they were involved in Sunday school and small groups together. Sara has been a tremendous prayer support over the past three and a half years. Sara has just completed a degree in Marriage and Family Counseling. She is originally from Fuquay Varina, North Carolina, but is currently living in Fredricksburg, Virginia.

Heather Petro : : Bridesmaid
Heather and Gloria also met at SWBTS in the Fall of 2002. They attended Travis Avenue Baptist Church together and were involved in a number of small groups together. Heather has been a tremendous support and encouragement to Gloria over the past three years. She also encouraged Gloria to apply with BOCI to serve as senior intern in Guatemala. Heather graduated from SWBTS in December 2005. She and her husband David currently live in Fort Worth, Texas and are expecting their first child in March.

Jen Fernandez : : Bridesmaid
Of all the wedding party, Jen and Gloria go back the furthest. Jen and Gloria met as freshmen at American Senior High School in 1991; however, their friendship did not truly blossom until they were juniors at the School for Advanced Studies. Despite the distance Jen and Gloria have continued to keep in touch since our high school graduation in 1995. Jen and her husband Jorge currently live in Miami Springs, Florida where Jen is a school guidance counselor.

Beth Cooley : : Bridesmaid
Although Beth and Gloria have not known one another very long Gloria is looking forward to having her as a sister-in-law. Beth is a graduate of Baylor University and is currently working for the BAIR Foundation, a Christian Foster Care Agency, in Dallas. She currently lives in Dallas, TX.

Evyn McGraw : : Flower Girl
Evyn is the daughter of Ben and Christi McGraw. She is a tremendously creative and imaginative 8 year old. Gloria has known Evyn since she was 3 and it has been a joy to watch this little girl grow up. She is a constant source of laughter and we love watching her play. Evyn’s brother Luke will also be joining the wedding party as our ringbearer.

Al Escobar : : Best Man
Al, a transplant from Nashville, and Daniel met while living across the hall from each other in Penland Hall at Baylor. He and his wife Karla live in Houston. Al's favorite teams are the Tennessee Volunteers and the Tennessee Titans.

Thomas Cobleigh : : Groomsman
Thomas is one of Gloria's older brothers and he and his wife Tammy live in Paradise, TX. Daniel and Thomas haven't spent a whole lot of time together, but Daniel is looking forward to gaining him as a brother - in - law.

Jordan Curnes : : Groomsman
Jordan and Daniel met in middle school and their families have been friends ever since. Jordan is quite the world traveler; he has virtually traveled around the world twice. Those that know him are less impressed with the extent of his travels and more impressed that those countries let him back in the second time around. Currently he is working towards an MBA at Duke.

Frank McEachern : : Groomsman
Frank and Daniel have been friends since kindergarten and their families became friends as well. Frank recently graduated from the University of Texas Law School, and currently he is working as a slave / attorney at Baker Botts in Dallas.

Jonathan Payne : : Groomsman
Jonathan and Daniel met while living in Penland Hall at Baylor. Jonathan, Lee and Daniel shared an apartment while they were juniors and seniors at Baylor. Jonathan is working as a software trainer for Nielsen Media Research.

James Pevehouse : : Groomsman
James and Daniel are friends from Dallas Theological Seminary where they are both currently students in the ThM program. James is the son of a Baptist pastor and has 6 brothers and 1 sister. James is currently Daniel's roommate. James works for Insight For Living.

Lee Wester : : Groomsman
Lee, a Kansas native, and Daniel were potluck roommates in Penland their freshman year and in an apartment during their junior and senior years (along with Jonathan). Currently, Lee lives in Austin and works as a programmer for Opus Health Care Solutions.

Luke McGraw : : Ring Bearer
Luke is the 6 year old son of Ben and Christi McGraw and the brother of Evyn (our flower girl). Luke likes bears, trains, Star Wars, and going hunting with his dad and b-paw. Luke is just as creative as his sister Evyn and they are great playmates. Gloria has known Luke since he was 2 years old.

Our Engagement Party Pics

Meet some of the members of our Sunday School class at Park Cities Baptist Church.



The soon to be Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Cooley












Pinatas anyone! And no we did not smash them with sticks while blindfolded. Bride and Groom pinatas....who would have thunk?






Who let that guy into the party? Actually, that's Pike, our friend and the wizard of youth ministry. Pike will be marrying Daniel and me.

Amigos y Mas!

Last night the McEachern and Curnes families hosted a Mexican Fiesta in honor of our engagement. We had a great time as we gathered with friends and family. The mood was set as guests entered the McEachern home to the sounds of mariachi music wafting through the front bushes. They were then greeted with outstretched arms by the bride and groom pinatas skillfully placed in the foyer. If mariachi and pinatas were not enough, our guests enjoyed a full array of Mexican cuisine and margaritas. Daniel and I enjoyed visiting with everyone, however, have decided that last night is a preview of what is to come at the wedding reception ... not enough time to talk with everyone.

~Muchas Gracias to everyone who attended and celebrated with us~

140 Days and Counting!

Well, our plans are really coming together, but there is still a lot to do.  We are in the process of finalizing our invitations.  The bridesmaids' dresses are being made, the bridal gown is getting altered, the tuxes have been decided on and a photographer has been booked.  We are registered for about half of the stuff at Bed, Bath & Beyond.  I have probably spent twice as much time in that store since I got engaged than I had previous to our engagement.  Today we booked our flight arrangements for our honeymoon.  We are going on a Royal Caribbean cruise to the Southern Caribbean.  You can see the boat we will be on here. Gloria says that she is going to hit the Spa on our first day at sea.  We will be boarding the boat in San Juan, Puerto Rico and then traveling to Aruba, Curacao, St. Maarten, and St. Thomas.  We will also enjoy a couple of days in Puerto Rico following the cruise.  Check back soon for another update as well as accommodation information.

Girl Meets Boy

Now that you all have read the story of our engagement, I thought I would take you back to the very beginning and share the story of how Daniel and I actually met. Many of you already know this story, but for some, this may be the first time you hear it and for those of you who already know the story there may be some details you were not aware of.

I had the awesome privilege of spending the summer of 2004 in Guatemala serving with Buckner Orphan Care International as their senior intern. My summer was filled with visiting various orphanages and assisting numerous churches as they came to Guatemala to hold Vacation Bible School in the orphanages. It was a phenomenal summer. I loved every minute of being in Guatemala. Each week brought new surprises as we loved on the beautiful children. Little did I know that I would be greeted with a surprise in the form of my future husband my last week in the country!

On July 24, 2004 the interns and I were at the Quinta Real, the hotel in Guatemala City where incoming teams stayed their first night in country and where they stayed their final night in country. On this specific night we were saying good-bye to a team from Seattle, Washington and welcoming a group from Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. I must add here that I had spent the past 24 hours in bed not feeling very well. I thought I had a stomach bug. That being said, I arrived at the hotel not feeling my best. The interns and I said our farewells to the team from Seattle and then joined the Park Cities team for their welcome dinner. I remember standing in the lobby of the hotel and greeting the PCBC team, but I do not necessarily remember seeing or talking with Daniel. However, as we gathered in one of the banquet rooms for dinner, Daniel and I ended up at the same table. It was during dinner that we learned that we were both from the DFW area and that we were both seminary students. I had one semester left at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where I was pursuing a Masters of Divinity and Daniel had just completed his first year at Dallas Theological Seminary. I do not remember too much of what was said that night at the hotel but the next day I certainly noticed Daniel as the team and the interns arrived in Antigua and from what I now understand Daniel had noticed me as well.

Daniel and I were able to spend some time talking with one another over lunch that day and while we visited the orphanage that afternoon. Unfortunately, I was still not feeling very well and spent much of that day in my hotel room. By Sunday afternoon, the interns and several members of the PCBC team had come to the conclusion that Daniel and I needed to get to know one another and they began playing matchmakers!

Unfortunately, their matchmaking would have to wait a few days as what I believed to be a simple stomach bug turned into something a little more serious and caused me to make a trip to a hospital in Guatemala City. I spent the next day and a half in the hospital being treated and then returned to Antigua where I spent the rest of the day in my hotel room. That evening I joined the team for dinner and this is officially where the matchmaking began. The PCBC team members and the interns tried their hardest to make sure Daniel and I had to sit next to one another. Of course, neither of us complained about this. We were both enjoying getting to know one another. After dinner we headed back to our hotel where Daniel and I spent several hours talking. The next day we continued to get to know one another as we spent time at the orphanage. I truly believe it was watching Daniel hold a precious baby named Marina that truly set my feelings for him in motion. Again that evening we spent several hours talking to one another. It was so comical watching the team members and interns as they would whisper about Daniel and I and as they would plot how they were going to get us together.

Our last day together was spent with the team at Lago Atitlan. Daniel and I enjoyed our time together on the boat as we crossed the lake and walked around the market together. I knew that I wanted to get to know Daniel better but was not sure what he was feeling or thinking. However, before we parted ways that day, Daniel asked me for my phone number and said that he would call me upon my return to the United States. I gave him my phone number not knowing if he was just being polite or if he would truly call me. That uncertainty did not remain for very long as the very next day, before he left Guatemala, Daniel emailed me and told me how much he had enjoyed getting to know me. I knew at that moment that this was going somewhere.

I returned to the United States on August 3rd and within just a few hours of my arrival I received a phone call from Daniel. I was elated. Of course, I kept telling myself to guard my heart and not to get too excited. I had already told my closest friends about him and they were just as excited. When Daniel and I hung up that afternoon we had tentatively set plans for us to go out to dinner the following week upon my return from a trip to Georgia. I could not wait.

Our first date: Daniel and I went on our first date on August 11, 2004. We met for dinner at Humperdinks in Arlington. I remember leaving from that date not knowing where this relationship was headed but certainly excited about the possibilities. And as the old saying goes….”the rest is history!”

A More Than Decent Proposal

On September 24th I asked Gloria to marry me, so here's the story.

The Build-Up
I had been thinking for a couple of weeks about how I could propose to her even though our time together was pretty limited. Normally on Saturdays Gloria is coaching her cross country team, but her meet got cancelled which freed up her day. Seeing this as an opportunity I said to Gloria, "I have an idea." and asked Gloria if she could come and stay the night at my parents' house on Friday night. I began making plans Tuesday morning; however, I became aware of Hurricane Rita two hours later. After cursing the hurricane I began making a backup plan in case my plans were foiled. As the week progressed I refused to tell Gloria what we were doing which drove Gloria into a matrimonial frenzy because she began to suspect that I might propose that weekend. Upon seeing Gloria's response to those secret plans, I not only greatly enjoyed her pleas to know the content of said plans but I resolved to withhold said information. While I was driving Gloria crazy, Hurricane Rita was driving me crazy. I checked the weather about every two hours that week until I realized that both my initial plan and backup plans had been foiled. Fortunately, I did not despair, but made new "weather-proof" plans.

The Day
On Saturday I got up to make breakfast for Gloria: lemon poppy seed muffins (I forgot to put the two eggs in but they tasted fine anyway), fruit, and coffee. I served her breakfast and we watched TV that morning but Gloria still did not know what the day would hold. At about 11:15am we got in the car to go to our first destination: the nail salon. I had said one time I would do something with her that she greatly enjoys -- a pedicure. I had never had one and was the only male client in the shop, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Gloria enjoyed it as well and walked out of the shop sporting a lovely pink shade of nail polish.

The next stop was Target, of course. Gloria needed to pick up a few items she had forgotten to bring with her. After that quick stop we were off to lunch -- Fuddrucker's. A surprising choice to some, but this was the home of Gloria's favorite arcade game --Ms. Pac-Man. First, we ate lunch, an American burger for me and a cheddar burger for Gloria. Then we enjoyed a couple lively games of Ms. Pac-Man with half of a 7-year old soccer team watching us play. This made it interesting because they had a peculiar ability to interrupt at key points by pointing at the screen and covering it up at the same time.

The Proposal
After we finished playing Ms. Pac-Man, I told Gloria that we needed to stop by my apartment so we could pick up some things for later in the evening. When we arrived in the parking lot I told Gloria to wait in the car because I needed to check on something in my apartment before she came up. I said I would call her on her cell-phone when I was ready. At this point Gloria knew "something" was about to happen. So at this point her previous category 1 matrimonial frenzy was upgraded to category 4 matrimonial tailspin. What Gloria didn't know was that I had prepared my living room with cards and pictures that she had given me as well as other things that represented key memories from our relationship. I had covered the windows with foil to block the sunlight and set out some candles in the fireplace and on the mantle as well. I went upstairs lit the candles, made final preparations and then called her up to my apartment. Gloria and I sat down on the couch and I shared some sweet things with her, then got down on a knee and asked her to marry him. She said, "Yes".

The Celebration
The next two hours were spent on the phone telling everyone we knew about our news. One of the more humorous memories was that Gloria had to ask me if she had said yes because she couldn't remember saying the words out loud.

I wanted one of the first things we did as an engaged couple was to worship together. So later that day we went to Sat. evening worship for a very unique and meaningful experience for both of us. After that we went to Sevy's for dinner to celebrate our engagement, and we've been celebrating ever since.