The date was September 12, 2004.  I was flying home from Nebraska where Henry Albrecht and I had gone to visit Scott Baird and watch the Nebraska-Southern Miss football game. My United flight connected through Denver.  I was sitting in the window seat as the plane was boarding reading the Fortune magazine that Henry had just given me.  Something compelled me to look up and walking down the aisle was God's finest creation sashaying her hips as she approached in my direction.  I looked at the empty middle seat next to me and thought, "Ooh, I hope she sits here!"  Of course with my luck, I expected a large biker with bad B.O. to be my companion for the sold out flight.

Well God was smiling on me that day because her assigned seat was indeed the seat next to mine.  I would find out later that when Michelle saw my overly eager expression, she thought to herself, "Oh no, he's going to want to talk to me, and I'm really tired - I just want to sleep!"  Well, Michelle would get no sleep on that flight.  She was my captive audience and I was going to make the best of it!  Truth be told, she hardly stopped talking after my lame opening line: "Are you headed home?"

It turns out Michelle lived very near me and worked very near where I worked.  I said we should do lunch sometime and gave her my card.  After the plane landed, we walked into the terminal together.  She saw her mom who had come to pick her up.  As she waved goodbye and walked away, I realized I had committed a tragic faux-pas by not getting her number.  You always have to get the girl's number - even I know that!  I didn't expect to ever see her again.  Very tragic.

Well God was still smiling on me because I did get an email from her about a week later.  We eventually hooked up for lunch and slowly, a relationship began to blossom.  Okay, maybe not that slowly.  We spent Christmas Day together on Catalina Island where I surprised her that night by proposing to her after serenading her to "Unforgettable" at a Karaoke bar.  Amazingly she said yes and now we're looking forward to exchanging vows in the Philippines on October 29th, 2005.

For someone as punctual as me (except for getting to work) I was late for that sold out UA 461 8:30 flight from Denver to San Jose, in my hurry I failed to ask for a window seat (I ended up in the middle). I came upon my seat and next to it was a man anxiously watching me. I immediately thought to myself "Oh no! He's going to talk to me... I just want to sleep!"

So I sat down, and right before I could open my magazine, he said, "Are you going home?" "What a lame pick up line!" I thought. Of course, that didn't stop me from talking, besides it'll make this gauntlet of a trip go by much quicker. In 2 1/2 hours I was able to give him a Cliff's notes on my life and he shared the same. We were able to identify with each other, the big move to the US, life experiences, interests, and relationships.

After he talked my ears off (or was it the other way around?), he gave me his business card and suggested lunch. He didn't ask for my number, which was good! I don't give out my info and him not asking for it gave me the impression that it's purely platonic. It doesn't hurt to have more friends and he appeared like an honorable man who has experienced quite a bit of things in his lifetime that I can definitely relate with and learn from.

A week later as I was cleaning out my purse I saw his business card and sent him a quick note. A few weeks later we had lunch. A few weeks more somewhere along the way platonic was replaced by a big red bow (he's a lucky man) and nights by the fire. A wise man once said, "Warm weather has left us and dark, damp, and chilly days are ahead. Then again, winter might not be so bad if it includes someone sweet to cuddle with next to a warm, cozy, fire... :-)" So on point! So I blame winter! (I'll pay for your trip if you can guess and PROVE who made that bold statement)

Ok, back to my story. A few days before Christmas, he asked my mom for my hand in marriage and on Christmas day he proposed - on bended knees, in front of many people, on stage. I kept screaming "NO" (in shock) he asked me to say "YES" so I said "OF COURSE" Amazing how life works. Now we ask you to take part in an intimate gathering of family and close friends as we celebrate the day that we become husband and wife.