LIFE: Four years ago today....

Mike and I went on our first date..  He was one of my managers at my part time retail job, and I used to joke that he was "the guy I was in love with at work" to my friends.  Not wanting to sound big headed or anything, but I always got every guy I ever liked, but Mike never gave away how he felt about me, which kept me guessing!! At the time I was dating 5 guys simultaneously, but broke it off with all of them because I didn't feel the way about them that I felt about Mike!! Then we both started spending a lot more time together - I introduced him to tapas; he introduced me to action movies.  

Then one night - November 5th 2008 in fact - I couldn't take it any longer, I looked at him one evening and said "Mike...do you like me?".  And the rest was history!! Our first 9 months was a whirlwind - we were both living at our parents houses due to circumstances so we had $$ to burn.  I swear we lived off popcorn and La Tasca those first few months, as well as £3 pizza from Pizzaland in Selly Oak, where they knew our order before we even had chance to open our mouths.  It was love, we just drank up each others company - didn't need anyone else, didn't want anyone to intrude on our bubble.  

In July 2009 (I don't know the date as we were on holiday ha) he got down on one knee in my favourite place in the whole world - a valley that nobody else seems to know about in Andalucía, rural Spain.  We were going to run away together, back to Australia where I had spent the previous year.  Mike has a severe flying phobia, but we were going to go via the Trans Siberian railway, and then travel through Asia. 

Then reality hit - I didn't get the grades I had hoped for at Uni, so my parents offered to pay for a Masters to compensate.  We didn't move to Australia, but we moved to Nottingham instead where we got our first flat together.  One year later, and my Masters was over and we found ourselves further north up still - Scotland, where I got a 5 year contract and my dream job.  Two years down the line and we are making a home for ourselves up here, but haven't lost the desire to leave the UK - although I think we have now settled on Canada.  Logically, although perhaps less romantically, we are getting ourselves and our careers sorted - Mike's at college and preparing to apply to Uni; I'm working in an amazing field and about to sort out my part time PhD application.  

Our dreams are still alive though - we still aim high and want the world and nothing less.  And although after four years things sometimes get tough, we still want to spend the rest of our lives together.  And I know that seems like a simple thing to say, I really mean it - he is more than my boyfriend/fiancé - he is my best friend and knows me better than I know myself.  We have come a long way - not just 'us' but also individually.  

I'll stop writing now, because this mush could potentially go on forever, but here some pictures:

 2008

 2009

 2010

 2010

2011

2012

Tali xxx