Mike:


Where do we start…freshman year at college of charleston in Ms. Pringle’s English class started out a little rocky. Was I obnoxious? Probably. But whatever I said must have made an impression because here we are almost 7 years later. Our first “date” or at least the first time I accepted the fact that, yes it was a date, took us to mellow mushroom on King St. Although looking back, our first year of “not dating” was full of dates - long walks with the crackheads (Fiona and Tucker), multiple coffee trips, study and gym sessions, movie nights, movie days, and more than a handful of days apart that ended with us preferring to be with each other instead.
We’ve had so many peaks and valleys over the years (which is crazy to say honestly, like years? how?) We did long distance, we lived apart, we lived together, we didn’t have enough space, we’ve had what felt like too much space, and probably have 5 or 6 more moves in us.
Honestly, there are so many memories to choose from but a few come to mind that shed some light on well. The first might be when Jaclyn went out on a limb to tell my stupid ass that she actually liked me, she used my own dark humor against me. The second, when she was studying abroad and had a dream that I had gotten into trouble and by the next time we talked she was already on top of telling me how big of an idiot I am (common theme alert). The third, the chili incident at my moms house… fourth! A break down on a plane that ended with an amazing amount of support and love that doesn’t often show itself in public like that. Fifth, a ring that may or may not have been the wrong type of metal. And sixth, an affirmation that even the lowest lows together are better than the highs apart.


Jaclyn:


Back to Ms. Pringles class where I decided for the first time I’d get a guys number. I knew from day one I’d either love the obnoxious boy sitting beside me, or hate him, and we all know where that one ended. After building up the courage one day, I finally went to ask Mike on a gym date, the obvious in… just for my phone to die. Fast forward to me giving him my number and waiting for that text. Fast fast forward to the fittest point in my life, trying to impress a gym rat is hard work lol.


It took nearly a year for Mike to formally ask me to be his girlfriend as we were standing in the dog park letting the dogs run. He nearly disappeared that summer before we started dating, just for me to drag him back in with a cheesy pick up line and confession of feelings that I nervously sat in my sisters room rewriting over and over again.


From there it didn’t take long for our relationship to take off. Our wine movie nights and parties in Mikes kitchen hold some of my earlier memories in our relationship. Loki (the big white huskie) chipping my tooth on one of those movie nights. The fact my dog knew the route to Mikes house as well as I did. Realizing I loved him while getting ready for one of our many naps on the couch and waiting for his confession before telling him (couldn’t scare him away). That took over a year, as he waited for me to decide that I was going to study abroad. He contemplated a breakup due to the long distance, just to come back with a confession of love, all right before I left and a plan to move- in together upon my return. Side note of Mike saying our relationship had extra queso (was extra cheesy) while we were apart.


Our relationship has had it’s highs and lows as Mike said, but we have grown and changed together over the years. We are not the same people who entered this relationship and I’m excited to meet the people we’ll become as our life continues to change. I look forward to this amazing future together, no matter what life throws our way as our lowest lows together are better than any high apart. There is no one else Id want to go through life with.


P.S. Why mention the chili incident!?!