"We met online....", honest but true! Melissa logged on looking for friends, but never expected to fall in love. She messaged him First! Mike answered back. Talking and chatting was effortless, but both continued to chat and answer back. Phone numbers were exchanged and texting began! It wasn't soon after that Mike and Melissa planned to meet in person and see if the sparks were as real in person as it was via the written word.

The date was set for December 16, 2018. Mike drove up from Loganville into the mountains to Demorest. It was on Piedmont College's campus that the couple first met and Mike took Melissa on a tour of Helen, Georgia. Both were fond of Helen and its quaint beauty in the mountains. The couple had German food and a lunch that lasted for over an hour with easy conversation and talks of dessert. Both share a love for funnel cakes or "fried dough" and Mike knew just the place to try! Shops were window shopped while they began to know more about each other and that there was an ease to being together. Later Mike would tell her that he had missed a Falcons game to come up and go on their first date. Melissa is still honored that he gave up an afternoon of football, that has not been missed since they have been together. Melissa doesn't remember who the Falcons played that day, but she will tell you that in the front of GB Hall at Piedmont College under the large tree in the front that they shared their first kiss of many to come.

Mike and Melissa dated through the winter and into the Spring. Though they were further apart (about an hour and half drive) they spent each day on the phone together. Mike called promptly each night as he left work on the drive home. Melissa left campus as much as she could see him an spend time with him. Something was different about this relationship....there were sparks, but there was a realness, a truth, a chapter of something they wanted to build upon. Melissa fell in love with him. Mike said "I Love You" first! They became friends, best friends. Each moment that could be spared was spent together in Loganville or Demorest. Melissa invited her Father for Easter and Mike cooked a grand affair for the parents to meet and for Melissa to get the okay from her Dad, whom by the way loved Mike! The couple shared their first vacation that summer. Their fur children met each other. Fancy, Melissa's dog, was not quite sure about Norman and Morgan, but the fur children learn to tolerate each other and secretly Fancy loves Mike's dogs too! The Fall came to Georgia. Melissa and Mike had talked about a future together, but never would she expect what happened next!

On Saturday, September 28, 2019, Melissa went to spend the weekend at Mike's house in Loganville. Melissa had gotten a later start into the day than she wanted and arrived around lunch. She expected to head to lunch, watch some football, and enjoy time together which was a typical weekend during football season. Mike had other plans! Mike asked Melissa to sit on the couch. Mike turned to Melissa and asked her if she would be his wife! Unbeknownst to Melissa, Mike had picked up the ring the night before! Mike opened the box and took out the ring. With lots of emotion, laughing and tears, Mike looked down and "asked what finger the ring went on!" They kissed and of course Melissa said YES! The ring is a beautiful diamond solitaire that came from Mike's grandmother's ring. It was set in the same white gold setting as the ring of her grandmother. He didn't even know that he hit it way out of the park! Melissa cried and was extremely excited to be engaged. The couple called friends and family. True to form Mike's sister, Heather, stated " I told you wouldn't last the weekend with the ring in your hands!" How true that was, but such a special moment that was at an unexpected weekend for Melissa.