How We Met
Michael and I met in May of 2014 at the start of training to become Peer Mentors at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland. We all sat in a circle, Michael and me on opposite sides. Our eyes met, we smiled and quickly looked away. The training session ended and some fellow Peer Mentors invited both of us (separately) to meet up that night. We were hanging out in a fraternity house, where all fairy tales begin. I noticed Michael across the room talking to another girl. We made eye contact again, quickly looked away, and I walked over to another group. A little later, Public Safety ended up busting the party, and the under 21 ground snuck away into the suites of the house.
Michael and I ended up choosing the same one. We started talking and talked the entire night until we fell asleep. We exchanged numbers and continued to talk the entire summer. At the end of summer, we decided that we wanted to continue to be friends because neither of us wanted to be in a serious relationship going into our sophomore year. Michael and I kept in touch throughout the year, hanging out occasionally. We reconnected again the following summer going into junior year. We then decided that a relationship was something we both wanted. We went on our first date to Waterman’s in Rock Hall, MD on October 14, 2015, and at 12:02 am on October 15, 2015, Michael asked me to be his girlfriend! Michael and I dated through the rest of college, graduated in May of 2017, moved from the east coast to Texas, and have been together ever since!
How They Asked
Despite moving to Texas, away from my family in New Jersey, I never miss a Thanksgiving with them. I flew to New Jersey, without Michael, the Saturday before Thanksgiving to spend time with my family. Michael met me up there the Wednesday before. Every year, my four siblings and I take a sibling picture to commemorate the holiday and being together. This year my sister, Samantha, asked my cousin, Stephanie, who photographs weddings professionally, to take our annual picture. My parents and Michael joined us outside to watch. Then my parents joined for more pictures, and then Michael joined for one more picture. Once the photos were finished and everyone dispersed, Michael knelt down and asked me to marry him!
