Sarah

  The story of our relationship is quite an interesting one, at least to most people. Ivo and I met over the internet in 2005. Almost immediately we began talking every day, whether through Yahoo! IMs or phone calls. A very close friendship developed immediately! Our friendship continued to grow for two years before we decided to meet in person and move our friendship into a romantic relationship. The first time I saw Ivo in person was on March 7, 2007 (ironically, also the day his youngest nephew was born)! I was nervous about flying from Pennsyvlania (where I lived) to Illinois (where he lived) to meet someone new for the first time by myself, therefore, I brought along three people with me! My sister and two of my good friends took the spring break trip with me, just in case things didn't click when I met him. LoL. My fears were immediately washed away the moment I saw him. There was something about him that made me instantly feel safe :-) Our relationship continued to grow over the next 3 years, while remaining long distance. My daughter and I would fly out to see him every chance we got (about every 4-6 months). It was during one of these trips, on August 4, 2009 that he proposed! Looking back, it is a miracle I never realized his plan! First of all, in March 2009 he asked me if I knew my ring size; when I asked him why, he simply said the girls at work were giving hima  hard time for not knowing! I can't believe I bought it! A week or so later he asked if I had any idea what kind of ring I would want, again blaming it on the girls at work. I went home that night and actually looked up websites that had pictures of the kind of ring I like! I still hadn't caught on! Then, when we were getting ready to go out to dinner one night with his entire family, I came down the stairs and as I was walking to the car his mom looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, "you're so beautiful!" We get to the restaurant and before ordering he gives my daughter her birthday present, a jewelry set of necklace, ring, and earrings. Katelynn immediately begins trying to get everything out of the box; I reach across the table and am trying to get her to give me the box so I can get everything out without breaking it. Out of the corner of my eye I see his nephew giving him a box, I am confused considering his birthday is in February and it is now August but I really don't think anything of it, since I was in "Mommy mode." I then see him get up, but again I don't think anything of it. Next thing I know I get a tap on my right shoulder, which always drives me nuts, and am turning around getting to yell "WHAT?!" but I only got out "Wh" before seeing Ivo was down on one knee. Everything else after this point gets fuzzy! I honestly don't remember much of the rest of the evening because I was completely on cloud 9! I know many of you are sitting there wondering, "How on earth could she be so dense?!" Well, Ivo and I had talked about getting married and agreed we wouldn't get engaged until after we lived together for a little while, so needless to say, I didn't put any of the breadcrumbs together! After having a long distance relationship for 3 years, he moved to live with my daughter and I in August of 2010. We have had quite rollercoaster ride of adjustments but I wouldn't have changed anything! I love him more and more every day and cannot imagine my life without him! I cannot wait to become his wife in less than 6 months!!