Someone on FormSpring asked me to make an entry about my relationship with Mike and how we got together, etc etc etc. Of course I rarely think I'd pass up the opportunity to gush over what a wonderful fella he is, but I hope the lack of excitement doesn't bore you! Okay... where to start...?
Mike and I grew up 45 minutes apart... he lived in the town over. I went to school with a boy named Alex who I was really good friends with until he moved away in 4th grade. Time flew by and I graduated high school, and then a mutual friend made me realize that Alex was in Columbia all along! We had reconnected a decade later and decided to hang out. He invited me to hang out with all of his guy friends and go to the skate park, etc.
That's when this first photo was taken... This is the first picture Mike and I ever took together. We were in the back of the SUV riding to the skate park and we just said "hey! smile!" haha Really lame, I know. But at this time Mike and I were not dating, talking, or even interested in the other really. I always had so much fun hanging out with the boys and going to the park. I met so many awesome people. Well, Alex had developed a crush on me and I always liked him when I was younger, so when he did this elaborate, planned out thing and asked me to be his girlfriend, I couldn't say no. So we "dated" for all of about 6 days... and I say dated for lack of a better term because we never kissed, we never held hands, we never went on a date... He was very very clingy and needy and I just couldn't handle it. So I broke up with him. Mike and I had really been hitting it off as friends. I just thought he was adorable (he was 17 and I was 18). Mike asked Alex if it would be okay with him to maybe ask me out or something. Mike was an honest and loyal friend. Alex laughed and said "Sure, go for it. It's not like she'd ever like you anyway"... he was obviously mistaken. We started talking and texting pretty non-stop and before you know it, we were an "item." This was August 2006.
circa September 2006
We were pretty inseparable for the handful of months that we dated. He was still a senior in high school so I'd always spend my Fridays and Saturdays hanging out with him before I had to go to work. Then I'd drive over to his house afterwards (2:30am) and we'd sit in his driveway and just talk. His dad was a bit strict back in the day so it didn't take long for him to start flicking the porch lights to make him come in. (The roles were totally reversed!) We dated for a few months and everything was fine, but I was never really "serious" about anything. I was 18 and I had just moved out on my own. While I never "partied" or "got wild", I didn't feel like I needed to be settled down. I ended up breaking up with Mike because I liked someone else. (Yes, Adam.) It's not that I liked Adam more by any means... but 3 months had come and gone and as bad as it sounds, I just felt the desire to move on.
doesn't he look so young?!
Mike and I attempted to stay friends for a while afterwards and everything was fine. We'd still hang out and be cool, but his feelings got in the way so we decided it was best to just cut ties. We both went on to date someone for three years. Mike's girlfriend hated me. And by hated I really mean hate. There was a lot of drama that happened in that whole thing that Mike wasn't even aware of (she came to my work in the mall and tried fighting me, harassed me, etc etc). It just wasn't a pretty picture. I wasn't even allowed to tell Mike Happy Birthday. Anyway, we didn't talk for quite some time, but I remember his 19th birthday rolled around and we spoke to each other for a few days. This caused drama on both ends so communication was lost again. Adam and I had our fair share of troubles and the same could be said for Mike and his girlfriend.
Fast forward a little while and Mike is a dad! Toby was born in December 2008 and while I had known he was going to be a dad, I wasn't aware for a considerable amount of time afterwards that this had actually happened.
One random night in 2009 I had a Facebook friend request. In fact, I remember blogging about it and saying "An exboyfriend just friend requested me on Facebook. Let's see how this goes!" We had civilized and totally-legit conversations. "How are you? How have you been? Hows the family?" There was no flirting or anything. Now, let me make this very very clear here: I never stepped in on Mike's relationship with his ex. NEVER. They were already broken up (I don't know for how long) when I started hanging out with Mike. I am not a homewrecker, nor would I ever wish that upon my worst enemy. I know my place and I never once spoke to Mike in any way that could be deemed inappropriate while he was in a relationship. (I've got a nice little friend on here who likes to claim I waltzed in and broke up a family when I most certainly did not.) Anywhoo- I was studying for my Art History final and Mike wanted to hang out and chat. I almost didn't go... it would have been much smarter for me to stay at home and study, and I may have gotten an A instead of a B, but still... I put my book down and drove the 25 minutes to his house in West Nashville. This was the first time I had seen him in 3 years.
Conversation came with no effort. We caught up, we talked, he showed me so many pictures of Toby. It was magnificent. I stayed far too late when I had an exam at 8am, but I managed to hang out with him again the next day/night and the next and the next. Before you knew it, we were back together. It's as though my entire life had fallen into place with just a few visits.
I distinctly remember saying to my mom and friends "I've been happier the past three days than I was the entire three years I was with Adam" and that was the truth. Not a single day has gone by that I don't thank my lucky stars for this wonderful person I am able to share my life with. Or people, I should say, as Toby has brought me so much happiness!
We spent practically every single day and night together from the moment we started dating and the day after Christmas, Mike moved in. (Quick, right?). He sold his house in Nashville and we've been living together ever since!
I can safely say that I 100% believe in fate running it's course and things that are meant to work out WILL! I'm so grateful that our paths crossed again and I'm so glad I acted completely out of character by forgoing my intense cram-session to catch up with him. Since December, we've found a new home, traveled, lost everything, gained so much more... I can't imagine my life without him.
It's weird to say that we've only been together 9 months this time around, because it definitely feels like so much longer. I definitely wouldn't suggest moving in with someone on the first day you start dating them, but we have a history and you can't deny what feels perfect. I feel blessed to be in such a healthy relationship with such a supportive person. He truly is my Prince Charming.
I wish I had more photos to go along with this post as it's about seventeen miles long, but we never really took many back in the day. But either way, I'm sure we'll have millions to take in the future!
So that's our story! It's not all that exciting and it may sound a bit weird or cheesy or just plain dumb... but I'm happier than I've ever been!
SOOOOO What's YOUR story? Have you blogged it? (Link me over!) or just tell me about your significant other! How long have you been together? How did you meet? (I love learning about y'all!)
Post Title
→Mike and Kaelah: Our Past, Present, and Future!
Post URL
→http://charlotte-lifesaboutthejourney.blogspot.com/2010/09/mike-and-kaelah-our-past-present-and.html
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