Happy Valentine's Day...Here is the story of us

So I thought it would be fun to write the story of Michael and I...

This is my version...if you talk to Michael you may get a different story, but know that mine is the more accurate one! (=

Michael and I kind of knew of each other from seminary, but never really talked. When I was 16 I was dating someone who was on the same baseball team as Michael, and during one of their games he came up to the fence, flashed his charming smile, and said something to the affect of, "Hey, you're Rosalie, we go to seminary together don't we?". I thought, "Why, Mr. Mastaler...are you flirting with me at my boyfriends baseball game?!". A dated that boyfriend for a little while longer, and then ended breaking up mainly because of difference of religion. Soon after that Michael and I started to become friends...I guess that's when it all began...

After getting to know each other a little bit more at school, I invited him over to my house to watch a movie, "The Wedding Planner". When he showed up he locked his keys in the car (I think he was a little nervous ha ha ha). That was the first time we held hands. We hung out a few more times after that, and then we went on our first "big" date. We went to the movies, "Monsters Inc." at Ontario Mills (that was the "big" part of it), and then when he dropped me off he kissed me for the first time. I would have to say that after that we were pretty much inseparable. I remember our first Valentine's Day together...2002...eight years ago!! WOAH! My two friends were dating his two friends, and so they made us a romantic homemade dinner. He also surprised me with rose petals all over my room, a big, pink stuffed animal frog, and a teddy bear that was holding a heart that said "Be Mine". He also gave me a heart shaped box full of chocolates! Oh and not only did he do that, but in each of my classes he left a sweet homemade Valentine on my desk so I would get it when I walked in my classroom! My favorite one had a train drawn on it that said, "I choo choo choose you." (Thank you Lisa Simpson) I knew that I had found a real keeper, and that night he asked me the big question...that's right...he asked me, "Will you go out with me?" And so...I'm sure you can guess that I said "Yes" and we were finally official!! (I know, aren't teenage love stories so completely awesome!? ha ha ha)

I went to his Senior Prom, he went to my Junior Homecoming and we were pretty much smitten! After about a year of dating, halfway in to my Senior Year, Michael was preparing fora mission, we were young, and in love, yet we had our differences which lead to a lot of disagreements, and we pretty much went out separate ways. He left for Tennessee to serve the Lord, I hung around the home for about a year after high school, and then left for New York to work. We got home at about the same time, went to Hawaii together (thanks Moms) and I somehow fell back in love with my sweet high school sweetheart. It took him a little bit of time to completely accept the fact that he was in love too, but right when we got home from Hawaii we were once again inseparable. It didn't take too long to know that we loved each other enough to spend the rest of our lives together, but soon after all of those feelings developed, were separated by 7,600 miles. I left for Russia to teach English for about six months, and I knew that if we could be apart for that long, without any contact except frequent e-mails, and seldom phone calls, then it was the right thing to do. Leaving him was so hard, and I even thought about staying home and passing up the opportunity, but I knew that it was what I had to do. It was while I was in Russia that I really knew that I was supposed to marry Michael, and no less than 24 hours after I got home, he put a ring on my finger.

I'm sure you can guess what happens next...I got home in June, and we got married in August. I got my lifelong Valentine, and he will always "Be Mine". I love him so much and always will. We definitely have our differences, quite a few of them, but if you think about it, in a puzzle there are no two pieces that are the same and it still fits together. He makes me laugh, and smile, and there is no way that I could live without him. No, our marriage isn't perfect, and honestly there isn't anyone that can drive me more crazy than he can, but there isn't anyone who I could love more than I love him. So here we are...8 years after that special Valentine's Day...who would have ever thought!? I'm grateful that Heavenly Father gave me such a handsome, wonderful man who protects me, loves me, provides for me, and makes me happy. Happy Valentine's Day!