December 2013, Michael came to a Christmas party that my roommate, Anne, and I hosted every year. He taught math with Anne as a student teacher and, frankly, we wanted more boys at our party, so he and a few of his friends got the invite. Michael vividly remembers introducing himself to me in the kitchen while I stirred some meatballs on the stove for our guests, but I was in my hostess mode and totally blew him off. Fast forward to April 2017. I was in Fell's Point with some girlfriends at our favorite beer tavern, Max's Taphouse. Meanwhile, Michael's friend Greg had finally convinced him to go to Fell's for drinks and as they walked passed Max's, Michael spotted his old friend, Anne, so they went inside to say hello. Michael saw me across the bar with the rest of our friends and reintroduced himself - assuming I'd forgotten who he was after four years. But, I hadn't forgotten and this time I had enough sense not to blow him off. Two weeks later we had our first date and by date three, I knew he was my person.

The Proposal: Over a nice meal at Taco Bell, I said, "Hey girl, pass the hot sauce, also, be my wife?" But seriously... Part I. The Idea I originally wanted to propose at The Boathouse Canton, the place where we had our first date. The manager was a bit rude when I tried to arrange everything, so I decided to look elsewhere. A rooftop in Baltimore was my next idea. Sara and I had a couple of our first dates up on the rooftop at my old house off of Hudson. Coincidentally, Jeremy knew the current tenants and said that they would probably let us use the roof for a bit if we wanted. And so the planning began… Part II. The Plan I needed some way to get Sara into the house and up to the roof. Why would we want to look through my old house now? Enter the Dutch guys. Kai and Ruben were in town to coach at my summer soccer camp and wanted to visit Baltimore while in America. The plan was for them to ask to see "Mike's old house" after arriving in Baltimore for dinner. Jeremy and Anne were also key in setting the stage. Part III. The Day Of Sara, Kai, Ruben and I drove to Baltimore on Friday at 6:30p. Knowing that her parents, my mom, and her friends were waiting at Anne's house a few houses down the street, I was in a bit of a rush. Sara on the other hand is in full tour-guide mode, showing the Dutch guys every bit of Downtown Baltimore. “Slow down babe,” was said frequently, in addition to, “Let’s take a detour down this street,” as my heart raced faster. At Jeremy’s, the Dutch guys, right on cue, said, “Mike, could we see your old house? That would be cool.” We took them on a tour of the house that ended on the roof. Sara came up to the roof to find me surrounded by flowers, delicately laid out earlier by Jeremy. The guys hung back. I took Sara’s hand when she got to the top of the steps, walked her to the flowers, and dropped down on one knee. After the proposal, I took her to Anne's house for the final surprise - a celebration with our closest family and friends.