6 Years Together!

(sorry, no pics from 2003, we didn't have a digital camera until 2005)

Michael and I always think of December as when we met and started dating! I love this time of year and I can still remember how I felt when we started dating- all the butterflies!

It all started with a little chat, sitting on the back of a fire engine....

which lead to him asking me out on a date.

How did we end up sitting on the back of a fire engine you ask?

Well, for those of you who don't know, let me tell you!

I worked at a Starbucks inside a Safeway and the local firefighters would always come in to get groceries. I had seen Michael a couple times, just from glances to see if any of them were cute!

The 1 woman firefighter would always stop by Starbucks to get coffee. One day, she asked if I was single. Then another day she said her and one of the guys were talking about me- I tried to figure out which guy it was but her description was vague. She offered to have him come back to Starbucks and get her a coffee so I could meet him. About an hour later 2 firefighters came in, one of them was an older guy who I kind of knew...so he introduced us. I remember seeing Mike's dark, long eye lashes and noticing his dimples- he looked nervous and it was a little awkward with the other guy standing there. But we made small talk and he asked if I wanted to stop by the station after work...I said yes.

Okay, it was 9pm when I got to the station...I didn't know where to park or which door to knock on (fire stations have like 20 doors). They eventually heard me knocking and let me into a dark room, where I saw 6 guys playing x-box. I was invited to stand against a counter and watch them finish their game- again, awkward! Once the game was over, the lights turned on and I was invited to sit in a recliner...then the fun began.

It seemed almost instantly they all started asking me questions...like personal ones (faith, politics, school, work...). I played it cool and answered the questions while Mike sat quietly- as if he didn't know how to get them away from me! Well, he eventually stood up and asked if I wanted to go for a walk…we walked out into the Bay and sat on the engine...and talked for an hour. Where he then asked me out!

We went on about 5 dates in two weeks time. I remember writing down what I wore each time we hung out, making sure I didn't wear the same thing twice! :) I even met his family within those first 2 weeks. And then I remember him telling me a story about how he was telling one of the guys about his girlfriend...and it was then that I figured I was his girlfriend.

He was a firefighter intern with like 5 other guys his age. They lived at one of the extra stations and went to college together-in the fire program. It was so fun to hang out at their bachelor pad- we cooked, watched movies, and did a little partying (shh!). Ohh, and some of the other guys had their girlfriends there from time to time too! When we would stay there late, we had to hide our cars so if the paid guys drove by they wouldn't know we were there. I think no girls after 9pm or something...hmm, we didn't follow that! :)

Love it all, I can remember it like it was yesterday...

and if I think about it too much I start to get butterflies!