We're getting married!

We may have grown up on opposite sides of the world, but we met and fell in love in paradise. We were both seniors in high school on the beautiful island of Papua New Guinea... It was Carnival Day in Ukarumpa, 2013. We had a man-powered ferris wheel, a secret admirer's booth and bunch of other really cool stuff. So if you think about it, they were basically asking for a really cute love story. Let us explain: Michael was one of the men powering the Ferris Wheel (oo lah lah), and Meliah was the ticket girl for the booth. While she'd be lying if she said she didn't check him out a few times, we barely knew each other at this point. Michael had taken note of her pretty eyes though, and it was this day, he wanted to do something about it. He made a break for the Secret Admirer's Booth, and changed our lives forever: "Are you made out of Copper and Tellurium? Because you're CuTe!" Somehow, that line was magic and 2 weeks later, he asked her out (to which she responded "well, I wouldn't say no?" ha.) . And even though she may have jumped the gun, Meliah told him she loved him 2 weeks after that. We may not have known it back then, but our crazy (and lil' awkward) beginning was the start to an international, ridiculous and exactly-what-we-need love that brings you all to this site right now. We've been apart as far as Papua New Guinea and Pennsylvania (an 18-hour time difference), and we've been three months without a way to communicate. We were long distance for a total of 18-months before Meliah "followed her man" to Liberty University. The rest? All history. ;) Sparknotes version: Cute guy with big muscles hits on the ticket girl with chemistry joke...Marriage.

First of all, we've almost gotten married about a hundred times, and honestly, most of you probably have a story or two about how convinced we were each time ;) We've always known we wanted to get married, but we were just two kids trying to figure out life, and it wasn't very graceful, but it taught us a lot about each other. But the day had *finally* come: Saturday, March 10 was going to be the day Michael Apa asked his girl to marry him. But dawn broke, and Saturday morning was like a kick to the face for both of us. Meliah had woken up with a migraine. By dinnertime, she was feeling a little better, and was making french toast in the kitchen. Michael was sitting on the couch when he stood up all of a sudden and said, "I need to go to my apartment. I'll be back. Bye." as he jetted out the door. "You're weird, babe" she thought, " But if this is for a proposal, I'm okay with that." Fortunately, she mostly forgot about it until Michael called her twenty minutes later. He asked if she could come down to the car and help him carry some stuff up to the apartment. While was walking toward the car park, she about Instagramming this (you know, just in case and because #millennial), but quickly remembered her phone died about an hour ago. As she turned the corner, she saw Michael in the middle of the parking lot, all dressed up and looking fancy. He was on one knee, and there were roses in front of him. "MARRY ME!" was spelled out in red and pink roses. Meliah was a puddle of emotions, but because she was still sick, her squeals were squeaks, her tears came out as tiny coughs ) and her "YES!" came out sounding like a strangled animal.... but it was the most perfect moment of our lives (so far). And so begins our mad dash to forever.