In honor of the celebration of our 5 years of marriage, I thought it would be fun to step back in time and tell a little bit of our love story!
From time to time growing up we would have friends mention that they thought Michael and I would make a good couple. Neither Michael nor I were ever really interested in each other for various reasons during those years, but because people would say these things, it always made things awkward between us whenever we would run into each other. It was always that awkward 'elephant in the room' feeling when we saw each other. It was hard to feel natural around him because it felt like people were watching us thinking, 'ohhhh they should really go out on a date.' LOL Although we really didn't know much about each other this situation made us avoid each other as much as possible growing up.
Two of my life long best friends are Amanda and Denise Rasmussen (Amanda now a Krumwiede and Denise a Bierle). They both happen to be Michael's first cousins which is the main reason I would run into Michael from time to time growing up. I was basically the Rasmussen Family's 3rd daughter as I was with them so much.
Denise was getting married July 1st, 2006 and we were busy prepping for the wedding. In the back of my mind I knew that I would be running into Michael that weekend........to be honest I was kind of dreading it. I figured everyone would be pushing us to talk and hang out.....I was dreading what I thought would be a forced awkward interaction between us at this wedding. Even though I was dreading it, I tried to put those feelings behind me and focus on all the fun we were going to have sharing in Denise and Reid's big day.
Well, the big day arrived. The wedding went off beautifully and we headed to the reception. The funny thing is, I don't remember seeing Michael at the wedding. During the reception I noticed him but we were so busy with everything from speeches to dancing that I didn't have time to think about him. Once the dance got going I did notice that Michael was gone (guess where??? Birdsall's of course!). For some reason in the back of my mind I was a little disappointed that he was gone. I didn't know where this emotion was coming from but it was like I was hoping he would come back Well let's be honest.....I WAS hoping he would come back. I mentioned this to my dear friend Aly who stopped by the wedding reception. I remember Aly coming up to me at one point during the dance and telling me 'Danielle, he's back!' as she squealed with excitement. EEEKK
My heart fluttered. I looked over and saw him and immediately got the butterflies. I didn't know what was going on with me. Aly told me that I needed to go talk to him. I told her 'No Way' I feel way too awkward.
It was just then that Courtney (Amanda's husband) went over to sit with Michael at a table. Aly looked at me and said, 'This is a perfect time to go over there, Courtney will be the perfect buffer.' She walked with me over to the table and we sat down and had really great/easy conversation. It was so fun.
Michael's whole extended family had rented a house on Clear Lake that whole week after Denise and Reid's wedding. Michael asked me if I wanted to come hangout at the house after the reception with everyone. Butterflies again. I quickly agreed and couldn't really believe it was happening.
I headed over to the lake house after cleaning up the reception hall. Again, I felt a little awkward about going over to the lake house where his whole family was hanging out but he asked and I really wanted to go.....so I did. We ended up hanging out in a group on the deck overlooking the lake for a long time. It was a great night.
Wanna know something amazing?? Both our families and friends for the first time put absolutely no pressure on us. I think this was the ticket :).
I remember leaving the house that night thinking, 'What is going on?' That was really great and TOTALLY unexpected.
The next day Michael and his family were going over the Rasmussen house in Britt for a gift opening for Reid and Denise before they left on their honeymoon. After the gift opening, Ken and Beth were planning a pool party for family and friends in their backyard. Michael was not planning on coming but I think since we sort of 'hit it off' the night before he decided to come over. We swam, golfed, and hung out all day that day. I was starting to really feel 'feelings' surfacing for him. I couldn't believe it.
When that day was over I was sad as I didn't know when I would see him again and I wasn't sure if he had any feelings for me. I just chalked it up as a great weekend.
The next day I was working at the Buckle and I got a text message. It was from an unknown number but from what I was reading I knew it was from Michael. He was inviting me back to the lake house that night and wanted me to come out to dinner with his family. Oh My Gosh!! I was getting the butterflies more than ever! I quickly wrote back that I would be there.
We ended up spending almost every day that week together.
The most memorable part of the week was Forth of July night. I went over to the lake house and watched fireworks with a bunch of his family. We sat out on the fishing pier in Ventura during the fireworks. This was also the first time Michael held my hand. Eeekk. We ended up talking after the fireworks. But not just Michael and I.....Courtney stayed out with us too. To this day, we consider Courtney a big piece of us coming together so well. He was a great buffer to our conversation that night and kept things light and funny. Believe it or not, the 3 of us sat out on Venture Pier all night and talked until the sun came up. It was the funnest thing I have ever done. I remember when the sun was rising seeing frogs jumping on the lily pads in front of us and deer drinking from the lake....so beautiful. Michael had to be at work in Cedar Falls by 8am that morning to start landscaping. He took off back to Cedar Falls where he lived and worked all day with literally no sleep at all.
We took a wedding photo on Ventura Pier where we talked all night with Court on the Forth of July. We've always felt this is the place we started to fall in love.
For about the week after these magical days together, Michael and I's communication came to a screeching halt. I didn't call him and he didn't call me. It turns out that both of us were worried we were coming on too strong to the other and didn't want to ruin anything. We were both simply afraid to call the other. This was SUCH a hard week for me. I really thought that we had something and then I figured it was over.
I remember telling Amanda that I didn't think he was really that in to me. She busted out laughing and said that she begged to differ. She explained that she thought he was probably nervous and didn't want to come across too strong. She told me to call him so I did. As soon as I heard his voice I could tell we both felt relief. We were honest that both of us were afraid to come on to strong and that we were scared that maybe the other person's feelings weren't as strong as the one's we were actually feeling. From that week on were together as much as possible.
Michael told me he loved me probably 4-6 weeks after this. I was the timid one and was afraid that he would get sick of me so I waited to tell him for about another 4 weeks after that. He was sooooo sweet and understanding during those 4 long weeks. I loved him back the first time he told me but I was trying so hard to avoid getting hurt that I held back. I remember the day I finally told him "I Love You' it was so freeing and felt so right.
We ended up having the 'marriage talk' on our way back from a family Thanksgiving in Minneapolis and were engaged 12.8.2006 about a week and a half after that talk, 5 months after starting to date. That may seem fast (and it is) but we knew without a doubt that God had made us for one another.
This is the night we got engaged
We were married 1 year to the month that we met at Denise's wedding, July, 21st 2007. It was fast... but when you know you know. We both knew very quickly that we could not spend our lives without each other so why wait?? It was the best decision we ever made and we haven't ever regretted a second of it.
Wanna know something else interesting? Michael swears that the day that he saw me walking down the aisle as a bridesmaid in Denise and Reid's wedding he knew right then and there that I was going to be his wife. He said a feeling came over him and he knew he wanted to be with me forever.......even though he really didn't know me! Isn't it amazing when God speaks soooooo clearly?!? Michael said this was the reason it was so easy for him to pursue me. Normally he would be very uncomfortable with that. We had both been praying that God would bring us our life mate....and God did.....when we least expected it! Sometimes God's timing is not what you think but it will end up being the best thing ever!
Michael saw this and apparently though...'Wife'!
We pray for God's leading in the next 5 years of our marriage! Thanks for everyone who has prayed for us and our family along the way!
5 years later! God is Good!
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