Our Story

"Love is patient..."

Thank goodness love is patient! Mike and I's story is certainly not a short one or one without some ups and downs but I'm pretty sure we both agree that it has certainly all been worth it in the end. The story certainly isn't over yet but it has had quite the beginning.

It all started during our sophomore year of college. Mike went to Virginia Tech and I went to Virginia Intermont which happened to be just 2 hours south of VT. As the small world would have it my high school friend Michelle also went to VT and began dating one of Mike's best friends there. Second semester of sophomore year rolled in and along with it Valentine's Day. As soon as the date for Military Ball at VT was announced I got a phone call from Michelle insisting I come visit that weekend...Valentine's Day weekend. I agreed, figuring what the heck else am I going to do in Bristol,VA. Little did I know Michelle began the search for a date for me and suddenly Mike and I had been set up. We started talking on the phone and through texts about a month beforehand, but didn't actually meet until the day of Military Ball. We both felt a connection as soon as we met, fell into comfortable conversation, and had a great night. After the weekend was over we continued to talk almost daily and Mike traveled down to VI a couple of times to visit. Long distance is never easy and college doesn't help much. A surprise trip down for my 20th birthday brought about a failed attempt to ask me out but we kept a friendship through college. The next year, junior/senior, we met up in Wytheville occasionally and saw each other when I made trips up to Virginia Tech to visit Michelle.

I graduated in 2010 and moved up to Laurel, Md for a job and Mike and I drifted apart for awhile. Fate wasn't going to let go that easily though and we started chatting every once in awhile. Then Mike started pulling out all the stops again and came for a visit to take my roomie and I to an Oriole's game. We sat front row in the outfield for the Oriole's vs. Toronto Blue Jays. Anyone who has ever attended a baseball game with me knows how terrified I am of foul balls, so of course we had to sit right in the line of fire! Thankfully no one was hit by any stray baseballs and the night ended with dinner and drinks with Claire and Sean and then 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" back at my sketchy apartment. Life got in the way again soon after that trip and I moved to Greencastle for an assistant trainer job. 

Months went by and the occasional text about crossing the Mason Dixon line would get passed between the two of us. For some reason though every once in awhile Mike would pop up in the back of my head, then one night at dinner with Gray I said the fateful words of "I just want a sign of what I'm supposed to do." Well I got a sign no more than an hour later, while driving home I got a text from Mike out of the blue. That simple text went on to rekindle our lost friendship that life had always found a way of getting between. I made some tough decisions career wise and took a much needed break from reality while also sorting out other issues and yet Mike patiently stood by during all of it. He was always there as a shoulder to lean on and a listening ear. Baltimore would make yet another appearance in our story when we decided to meet up in the fall of 2011. This time charm city worked its magic and we both knew there was something worth working for between us.

 The view from our sushi dinner

After "the Baltimore trip" Mike and I couldn't stay away from each other, despite Mike living in New Jersey and me living in West Virginia. We started officially dating and Mike made it work by coming down to West Virginia as often as possible. April rolled around and Mike moved down to West Virginia...into my very small studio apartment. We adopted Chloe shortly after Mike moved down and our little "family" started growing and kept growing when we made the decision to buy Spence so that Lou pony could enjoy retirement. We made it through the summer in our box of an apartment and a huge opportunity presented itself. I was approached by Wesleyan College for the job opening for an assistant coach and assistant barn manager for the equestrian program, it was one of those opportunities that your college professors (especially when you are an equine studies major) tell you to take and run with! Mike said go for it and away we went on the journey to Georgia. But before we moved away Mike had some surprises up his sleeve. We made a crazy trip to Georgia to look for apartments and then drove to DC for a Virginia Tech football game with my parents...all in 2 1/2 days! Little did I know that crazy trip would lead to Mike asking my father for his blessing. If you know my family you know that anything involving the Hokies is a good omen. 

You know you're a true Hokie when your boyfriend asks your father for his blessing during a VT game. Love my Hokie family:)

Mike's next surprise literally made me the happiest girl in the world. We were lucky enough to have the same days off as each other while we lived in West Virginia so we took one last trip to Baltimore on Thursday October 4th. We relived our entire "first date" and it was absolutely perfect. The aquarium was practically empty and we were able to enjoy it without the constant shoving of other people. Then we went on a tour of the Constellation and walked around Inner Harbor before heading to "our" sushi place. After sushi we grabbed coffee and headed to the docks. It was a perfect evening and I literally had no idea what was about to happen. As we started to head back Mike stopped me, gave me a huge hug and proceeded to propose! Of course I said yes!

 Now we are living in Georgia and planning our wedding for Fall 2014.