Michael and I met in high school (quick shout out to Jayme & Darla for setting us up). Michael and I were in the same study hall my sophomore/his junior year. We sat about 3 tables away from each other. Although we went to the same elementary school and ran 4 years of track together, we really didn't know each other at all. I'm not sure we even knew each other's name. Jayme & Darla had assigned seats close to Michael. At the end of study hall, we were allowed 10 minutes to talk with our friends. Around March 2012, Jayme & Darla started mentioning Michael to me. I honestly wasn't interested in a guy I didn't know at all. They begged and begged for me to come sit by them at the end of study hall, and I never did! I was so shy and was nervous to meet an upperclassmen boy! One day (not until the end of May), they made me write my phone number on a sticky note for them to give him. (Michael still has that blue sticky note). That night, he sent me a text message and I remember telling my mom this Michael Verhoff guy was texting me and I didn't know what to do about it! School ended a couple days after that and we started seeing each other at high school parties. I remember the first time we actually talked to each other was at the Hog Barn. Fun times. He greeted me with a big hug as I walked up to the party with my friends. At the time, I didn't know if he was just that nice, or if he had too many beers already. But I remember telling my friends that his hug felt so comfortable- like we knew each other for years. We spent the whole night talking and it was a piece of cake, which is crazy for the introvert that I am. We saw each other at a few more parties that summer and were always attached at the hip. I knew he was special when I couldn't stop talking when I was with him. On August 3, 2012, at Burwell's Cabin, Michael asked me to be his girlfriend. It was by far the best summer ever. Little did I know I just met my future husband! We have been inseparable since.

I went on vacation with Michael's family to Traverse City, Michigan. We stayed in a cute little airbnb downtown. It was walking distance from the local bars and Lake Michigan. The fist day was spent touring several wineries on Old Mission Peninsula. Between each winery was about a 5 minute drive where we got to see lots of vineyards and fruit trees. We eventually made it to the tip of the peninsula where there was a pretty lighthouse. The next day we started out early and kayaked on Lake Michigan. That was quite the test for Michael and I's teamwork skills as we shared a kayak. We later went back and got ready for the rest of the day. Michael's sister, Melissa, suggested we wear dresses that day, so I did! (She had no idea Michael was going to propose). That evening, we went on The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. It is a drive with several stops to get out and look at the dunes. Stop #9 was the big one. The dune directly overlooked Lake Michigan at almost 500ft high. I had my nice camera with me the whole vacation and of course brought it on stop #9. We walked around a bit and took pictures and then Michael and his Dad wondered up another little dune. They shouted down at us and told us we should all come see the nice view from where they were. We made it up the little dune, where no one else was. (The area is pretty touristy). Michael's dad, Greg, offered to take some pictures of Michael and I. We took a few pictures and then Michael made his move. With the wooden ring box he made himself, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! Greg continued to take pictures and as the pictures show, I was completely caught off guard and surprised! Especially because he later told had the ring box in his pocket for most of the vacation! He was so excited he was able to surprise me as much as he did. We ended the evening watching the sunset over Lake Michigan. Michael knows I love sunsets more than anything! It was the most perfect day. I'd say he nailed it!