MIKE + MY STORY
Since we are starting a new chapter in our lives, I thought this would be a perfect time to share a little bit about how we met and our story!
For an entire year, Mike and I went to the same gym every morning before work. And it wasn't until that final week (he of course didn't know I was moving!), that Mike approached me and introduced himself. For the next couple of days, we chatted for a few minutes when we saw each other. It wasn't until that Thursday that he asked if I wanted to go out. I simple replied, "Thanks, but I'm actually moving this weekend." And Mike, not knowing, replied, "Thats okay, maybe we can try for next weekend then." Little did he know that I was actually moving back up to Massachusetts.
When I told him this, I surely thought he would just shrug it off and that would be that. But, Mike still asked for my number anyways (He was little too nervous to actually ask for it, so I did have to help him out with that :) ).
I was at the point in my life where I wasn't looking for anyone, and I was moving, pretty bad timing I thought. I was talking to my best friend Kristin, who had done long distance with her now husband, and she really changed my outlook. Mike had asked me out to dinner, (actually he had originally asked me out to his sister's wedding the next month. Clearly he didn't understand that was a big deal...) and I really didn't know what to make of it. In my head I just thought that it didn't seem realistic and it would never work out. I'll never forget that when I was telling her about Mike she said to me, "A guy that's worth driving 400 miles just to take you out to dinner, is a guy worth going out to dinner with." And that pretty much changed my outlook from there.
For our first date, Mike picked me up in my Hartford office and we went to this tapas place for dinner. We ordered food for 4 (shocker), and we were there for over 3 hours, just talking away. It was pretty clear there was something there.
Fast forward to now, and we have been inseparable since. I actually think the long distance was really good for us at the time. As much as it sucks to not have one another nearby, it really made us closer right off the bat. We would sit on the phone for hours and just talk and get to know one another. It also made us realize early on that this was serious, and those overnight train rides, or 8 hour Jersey traffic filled drives would all be worth it.
It's funny looking back now and realizing that there was this whole big picture that God had planned for us that neither of us could even have known. Like, why the heck did I move to Delaware right out of college? Or isn't it wild that when Mike lived in Massachusetts for a few months, he used to shop at the store I worked at in the mall during college?
What really drew me to Mike was his ambition and his desire to help people. He really is the most hardworking person I know. It's been such a blast working on his house together, too, especially when I get all the creative freedom to do whatever I want to the space! haha
We've filled our time with designing and working together, going on trips and hiking all over the country, and eating so many amazing meals (priorities). I'm really just excited to go through life with Mike, have incredible adventures, and always have my best friend there by my side.
Cheers!
-H