We're getting married!

After only a few messages back and forth on Match.com, Mike asked me out. I suggested we meet at my favorite South Tampa happy hour spot (Cask Social) after work on Friday, January 20, 2017. I was drawn immediately to him when I saw him waiting for me at the entrance in dress slacks and a button up collared shirt. We sat at a table outside and had great conversation over cocktails for a few hours... until I had to cut the date short because I had dinner plans. I truly wanted nothing more than to stay, but luckily Mike asked me out again right away and we had our second date two days later!

Mike asked me to celebrate Valentine's Day with him on Tuesday, February 14, 2017. He arrived at my apartment that evening carrying a huge bouquet of red roses and a dozen chocolate covered strawberries. He took me to the Tampa Club for dinner, drinks, and dancing. He came back to my apartment afterwards where we sat and talked for awhile. He told me that he had written a card for me, but forgot it at home. I encouraged him to tell me what it said. It's hard to remember his exact words, but he said something about how he thinks we could have something great, followed by, 'will you be my girlfriend?' I replied, 'on a few conditions...' and gave him a speech on why I had chosen to be single for awhile and how I had no intention of getting into a relationship again unless I was certain there was true long-term potential. Since he was receptive to my short speech, I agreed to be exclusive.

Even though I had been dropping 'marriage' and 'ring' hints for years and figured that Mike would eventually pop the question, I wasn't expecting him to do it any time soon. I also never imagined him asking me in the way that he did. All that to say, I was absolutely clueless on Saturday, November 20, 2021. We went to his mom's annual Thanksgiving party with some members of both of our families. At one point after we had finished dinner and Mike had disappeared inside somewhere, he came back out to get me and tell me that his sister wanted to get a picture of all of us. I got up and started walking up the stairs to where his sister was, and I noticed everyone around suddenly got quiet and looked at us. I slowly turned around and saw Mike on one knee holding out the engagement ring of my dreams! I was too shocked to speak after he said, 'Jane, will you marry me?' Instead, I shoved my right hand at him. As he put on the ring, our moms held hands, jumped up and down, and cheered. Still in utter shock, it took me a minute to notice the ring was on the wrong hand and switch it to the left!