Our love story

It all began in early May of 2000. I was finishing my freshman year at UGA and Michael was finishing his 2nd year. I decided kind of randomly to go on Beach Project, not knowing more than 2 people that would be there. I had been to 1 Campus outreach meeting, maybe. I was involved with Young Life. I went to the informational meeting and there was Michael. He said, "Hey, I'm Michael. I don't think I know you....at all". haha!Neither one of us were interested in each other that summer.

We went back to UGA that Fall of 2000 and I was still a Young Life leader. I went to some events and saw him here and there. Then, on a random night Michael asked me to go to dinner with him. He picked me up and we went to Five Star Day downtown. He told me I looked nice and paid for my meal. I thought this was a real-deal date! He was just trying to get to know me.

In January 2001, we both went on a ski trip. I hurt my knee and he helped me get ice for it, got me Tylenol, and then played Go Fish with me that night in the hall. That's when he caught my eye. HE WAS SO NICE! He was nice to everyone. He brought my bags up to my dorm room when we got back to campus and even brought me dinner!! The funny part is, HE STILL DIDN'T LIKE ME!

Here we are at Andy and Melisa Woznicki's wedding in March 2001. My date was Stephen on the far right. The funny thing is that Michael asked me to go with him to this too late and I was so bummed!

These stories proceeded through my Sophomore, Junior AND SENIOR year of College! With the occasional instances of me kind of stalking him around campus.(I knew where his classes were and I'd strategically place myself on campus to see him). Does that count as stalking??? Anyways, we were good friends.
We were dance partners most of that year with a group of friends.
We played on the same intramural softball team...I played 2nd and he played short stop and we'd make double plays! :) haha

He had no clue I liked him until we went to Russia in the summer of 2002. All the girls thought he liked me. I did too. NOT THE CASE.

Someone told him I liked him, so we talked about it. He told me he was sorry and those weren't his intentions. I acted all cool like it didn't bother me and then went to my dorm room where I cried for at least a week! I was so embarrassed!
I got over it and we were still friends.

We both decided to move to Moscow after graduation, so we were together a lot for training before the trip. I finally could act like myself since I knew he didn't like me.

We moved to Russia and that Fall, he got to know me really well.Here is our team on a trip to St. Petersburg that summer.Here I am in Ukraine with a busted pen in my mouth. This was a funny moment because Michael was actually realizing he liked me around this time and he's dying laughing at me while taking this picture.

I thought something had changed between us, but my Mom said, "HE DOESN'T LIKE YOU! HE TOLD YOU! MOVE ON! THIS IS EMBARRASSING!" haha! She was trying to protect me. But, when we came home for Christmas, it was obvious to me that he did finally like me!

So, in January 2004, we finally started dating.Here is Michael right after we talked about dating.

I was shocked and couldn't tell him 'yes" for a few days. REAL MATURE. We dated for 6 months in Russia, then he proposed!
We moved home a month after we got engaged. I lived with some of the most fun girls ever, who all got engaged too.
We got married on January 29th, 2005.