How we Met

I can clearly remember our first encounter as Michelle has the ability to make a solid first impression on a fella’. We were both student athletes at Wheaton College, I played defensive end on the football team and Michelle was a mid-distance sprinter in track. I had just finished an off-season workout and was walking out of the weight room when I saw Michelle in the hallway walking towards me. While taking a sip of my post-workout protein shake (and possibly flexing my bicep for her, though I will not let that go on file) she deviated from her path in excitement. “Is that a protein shake?!” she exclaimed as if I had just been spotted with the Hope Diamond. “Uhhh yeah?” was all I could mutter (slightly disappointed that I must have not done enough bicep curls to grab her attention). “I love protein shakes, my favorite is mint chocolate” she said with enthusiasm. Conversation of these shakes went on for a few more moments and we parted ways. My head was spinning trying to figure out what just happened.

About a week later I saw Michelle in our school cafeteria. I got excited at the opportunity to strike up a conversation with this intriguing girl again, and I walked up with a witty comment about (the subject which most pick up lines are made of..) protein shakes. Michelle looked at me with a blank face having no recollection of our previous conversation. I was stunned! What followed was what turned out to be one of the most awkward conversations of my college career, and I walked away giving up on her.

The next two years of college Michelle and I had limited interactions. We did go to the same physical therapy clinic together after having knee surgeries, we passed each other on our way to class, and apparently I even held a door open for her mom (I supposed it’s never too early to make a good impression on the parents).

It wasn't until the beginning of our junior year that we began hanging out through mutual friends. After getting to know her a little bit better in Fall of 2007, I decided I would like to try my luck in asking her out on a date. She obliged and we had our first date at Macaroni Grill, after driving around in my truck for an hour telling her we were looking for a non-chain restaurant. I would like to say the rest was like clockwork, but with Michelle, adventures never really end. Our dating lives were filled with story after story, and all the while this girl from sunny Arizona never really stopped intriguing me.

Bowling date 2007