{our love story: part 2}

To read the first part of our love story, click here.

As you may remember, I had just nervously cracked the door open a couple inches to peek outside. And.....I saw nothing. No note from our landlord stuffed in the crack, and nothing had fallen on the ground either. Strange, I thought. But as I looked a little closer, I saw something on the door. Yes, something was duct taped to our door, in fact. I quickly peeled the tape off the door to see what it was -- a valentine! 

I have got to take a picture of this at some point for the blog (yes, I preserved it and saved it...I'm that type of gal!). Let me describe it to you for now. This was not just any valentine. It was a handmade valentine. The valentine was made of peach colored paper, cut into the shape of a heart, and then folded in half. On this outer half were three small white foam hearts, with my initials on them in glitter glue. Yes, glitter glue. You can imagine my surprise! The folded heart was tied shut with red ribbon - the kind you curl with scissors (and it was curled). I opened it up, and inside was a white lace doily heart on one half, and a little love poem on the other (written in green marker on yellow paper - can you visualize the color combinations going on here? So my Michael. And I so loved it.). But there was no name signed! 

"Who could it be from?!" I said. 

My roommate smiled and looked at me like I was crazy. Of course, we both knew there was really only one person it could be from. But I was still in a state of denial about that, and proceeded to try to think of all the possible people it could be from (couldn't come up with any). Needless to say, I was very excited, but I didn't contact Michael right away, as I figured he wasn't expecting me to see it until I opened the door to leave my apartment the next morning on Valentine's Day (especially because it was so securely duct taped to the door - I still think that detail is funny!).

The next afternoon we met for coffee at a local shop. I gave Michael some Valentine's cookies I had baked for him, and mentioned that I had found a little something on my door. "Oh, really?" he said innocently, his cheeks turning bright red. 

"Yes! And I think it was absolutely the cutest thing ever!!" I gushed. He smiled and laughed.

{young love...in june 2008}

But! Even then we still were not *officially* dating, because I wanted us both to pray about our possible relationship before we made it official. And, thankfully, my dear Michael was up for that--although I'm pretty sure his amount of discernment needed was less than mine. :)

We officially began dating March 13, 2008. I remember the day very clearly. It was unseasonably warm for March in Michigan, so we both got lemonades and went on a walk around the campus. After I asked Michael if he was still interested in having me for his girlfriend (he was), I felt so joyful and full of peace. We went to daily Mass early that evening to celebrate, give thanks, and start our official dating relationship off on the right note. 

We had so much fun dating in college. Many long conversations were shared, often times late into the night...talking about our past, our beliefs, our dreams for the future. It's such fun to reminisce on these sweet times in our relationship. Not that it isn't still sweet, but there's just something about those beginning times in a relationship, you know?

I'll share the next few years of our journey via pictures...

{playing corn hole - a good ol' midwestern game!
on Michael's first visit to my home near Cincinnati
Summer 2008}

{on a romantic carriage ride through Central Park
Michael's first trip to NYC - winter 2008}

{St. Mary's Christmas Dance - 2008 - Michael's face looks so young here!}

{New Year's Eve 2008}

{Michael's birthday - January 2009}

{my undergraduate graduation ceremony - May 2009}

{four-wheeling in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (heaven help me!) - Summer 2009}

{my birthday - September 2009}

{Easter 2010}

{at a friend's wedding - May 2010}

{in a wedding together - July 2010}

{I caught the bouquet at a friend's wedding in October 2010.}

{Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo - Holidays 2010}

{after my performance as Beth in Little Women the opera - March 2011}

Unbeknownst to me, Michael had asked my dad for my hand in marriage the night before this last picture was taken. Which brings me to what will be my next post in this series à la love.....
our engagement story!