This post has nothing to do with school :) I was doing some work on our wedding website last night and read over the section titled, "Our Story." I thought I'd share it with you, in case you were at all interested in our crazy, unconventional love story.
In September of 2010, I (Claire) was teaching in Shoreline, trying to
get my career off the ground. Mitch was in Detroit working and trying
to decide what his next step would be. On September 16, "God went to
Detroit" (as my stepdad says), we both ended up in the same place at the
same time and we connected online. We moved quickly to talking on the
phone and had an instant connection, spending HOURS talking and getting
to know each other.
Being so far away from each other (and wondering if this was the
real deal) was difficult. So I decided it was time to take life by
the...horns?...and buy a ticket to Detroit. I knew no one in the area. I
planned a week long trip, in anticipation of everything going well when
we finally got to spend some time together in person. By this time, I
was so optimistic and hopeful about it. I knew something was different
about him, about us. But I was being very cautious about my feelings and
how much of my heart I was giving away.
The plane ride to Detroit on February 9, 2011 was the longest trip
of my life. I was so excited, but I was definitely freaking out. I had a
couple minor breakdowns in the week leading up to the trip, just
stemming from being scared about going to a place where I didn't have my
people, and where I was going to be in a very vulnerable situation.
Every time I got scared, or second guessed my decision about the trip,
Mitch was there to tell me that we would be fine. Not once did he
hesitate or get nervous about it. I couldn't understand why he was SO
sure about it all. Don't get me wrong: I wouldn't have bought the plane
ticket if I didn't feel really great about it. But STILL. What was I
thinking?
**I look back now, and totally understand why my Mom and Sister
were freaking out about me doing this. I had never done anything like
this in my life, and I was putting myself in a super vulnerable
situation. The deal, as I left Seattle for Detroit, was that they could
call anytime (and I HAD to pick up) to check in. And if I didn't answer,
I had a five minute window to get back to them. This was actually a rule for quite awhile until they knew Mitch a little better :)
I got off the plane on the evening of February 9, 2011 in Detroit.
It was 4 degrees, and my mid-winter break. Who goes to the ARCTIC on
their vacation? This girl.
Mitch would tell you that every minute leading up to me getting to
Detroit, he was totally fine. Not nervous, not scared, only excited.
Until he was two minutes away from seeing me face to face. He says the
moment that he pulled up to the place where I was staying is when he
started his freak out session (thanks for joining me, babe). We switched
roles here. I had become very calm. I prayed all day, sought peace, and
could literally feel a wave of it come over me.
And then he knocked on the door. I opened it, and he smiled, and
the wave of peace that I'd had for the last hour was real. We hugged for
a long time. The first thing he told me was that I was more beautiful
in person than he thought I would be. **swoon** I felt the same about
him. It took a couple hours to get used to talking while being in the
same room together (we were used to being on the phone), but we quickly
moved into a super comfortable place and everything that I had felt in
the five months leading up to that moment was confirmed. He was (is)
kind, gentle, smart, funny, spiritual, had been through ups and downs in
his life that made him better, loved his friends and family as much as I
did, and told me he loved me with his eyes.
We spent a week together, getting to know each other and having a
BLAST. We went to a Red Wings (hockey) game at Joe Louis Arena (if we
lived in Detroit, I would probably have to be seriously considering
getting married there...), spent lots of time with his family and played
in the (ridiculous amounts of) snow.
Saying goodbye that week was probably one of the hardest things
I've ever had to do. We both still get choked up just thinking about it.
At that point, it was not sure when we would see each other again. We
had fallen in love in real life and knew that what we had was special. I
ended up going back about a month later, for another week. During that
week, we talked a lot about what we were going to do. Neither of us
wanted to say goodbye over and over. He finally said to me: You know
what babe? I'm going to move to Seattle. We want to be together, and I
am at the right place in my life to do this. I want to do this.
So it was agreed. April 13, 2011 Mitch arrived in Seattle and we
moved into our first apartment in Lynnwood. Crazy right? I know. I
realize how absurd that sounds. At the time, we were SO in love, and SO
excited about our new life together, that we weren't even thinking about
that "practical" stuff. I know a lot of people in our lives were hoping
for the best, but actually thinking we were a little coo-coo.
Understandable, in hind sight :)
Two apartments, a couple job changes, Mitch going back to school
and lots of love leads us to the Summer of 2013 (or the #summeroflove as
it has we have come to call it). On July 16, 2013 (remember we met on
September 16?), I was on my way home from Happy Hour with the girls when
I got a call from Mitch. He called to tell me he had walked down to the
lake (Lake Washington) to study and had hurt his knee on the way down.
He asked me to come pick him up, as he didn't think he could make it
home by himself. I of course said I'd be there as soon as possible, all
the while worrying that he was REALLY hurt. It's not like him to call
and ask for help like that.
When I got to the lake, I realized that his knee was just fine. He
was standing near a picnic table that had tons of rocks on it. As I got
closer, I could see that the rocks spelled out, "Will U Marry Me?" He
had one of our favorite songs playing on his phone and I started crying
before he even said one word. With the lake and Mount Rainier in the
background, he got down on one knee and asked if I would be his wife. I
said yes a billion times. His mannerisms and his smile in that moment
were the EXACT same that they were on the first night we met in Detroit,
and on the day that he got off the plane to start his life here in
Seattle. He was nervous, but hopeful (so was I), and we were both SO, SO
happy.
On August 16 (there's another 16!!!) of 2014, we will get an
opportunity to share more of our story with all of you. We are so
grateful for your love and support (even when you maybe thought we were a
little crazy)
