Thursday, August 03, 2006

every post is not going to be about Mike from now on ...


... But a couple of people have asked me to share my point of view of how we met. Frankly, I'm concerned that more people haven't flipped out ... what's wrong with you people?!!

; )

I first noticed Mike by following a link Shiloh made to his blog when she and her friends were writing a story about them slipping through some sort of alternate reality/time continuum wormwhole. Mike, the window washer/physicist, came on the scene made some profound statement that made everyone slap their heads in the wonder of its ... profoundness?

Hmph ... nothin' else to do ... Mike ... *click* ...

When his blog came up on my computer one of the first images I saw was that of a beautiful sunset. What sort of fellow would recognize such beauty AND take the time to capture the moment? I left a comment.

We became blog friends, commenting on others' sites and on each others ... but it wasn't until he called me a Christian Feminazi on his blog that things got a little more personal. The dialogue in that comments window is a good indication of how we interact.

Well, I wasn't about to just let this go. It needed to be taken care of right away! So I instant messaged him to convince him to "take it back!" ... but alas ... an hour or two or ... how long did we chat Mike? ... Let's just say very little of that time involved any discussion of Nazis or Feminists.

Despite the distance between us we had an enormous amount of qualities and interests in common but just enough differences to keep our following conversations interesting. I looked forward to each chat enraptured to have found someone with whom I could bounce ideas off of and liberally give me the encouragement I needed as I pursued my goals.

Before I left for Washington for the summer, I confided in a friend.

"Casey, I hope he doesn't fall for me."

"Why would that be so horrible?"

"Think about it! He's an ocean away ... what could happen?! A part of me wishes he would just go away and date lots and lots of girls in Hobart."

The frequency of our conversations did not deminish when I arrived in Washington. If anything they increased. Both of us were a little weirded out by our "internet friendship". How do you explain something like that to others?

"So, I was talking to Mike the other day, and he said ..."

"Who's Mike?"

"Um ..."

And yet a trust was forming in our friendship ... to the extent that he felt free to ask me to send him shoes and I trusted that he would send a check to cover it.

That was a big step for me. Huge step, really.

First it was blogs ... then Instant Message? Email? ... now Snail Mail ... what next? Voice?

Indeed, Mike began asking me if I wouldn't mind downloading SKYPE onto my iBook so we could just talk rather than type out everything we were saying. I'd laugh it off or change the subject somehow ... I wasn't ready for that ... I had maintained my cool ... I had control ... but would it all crumble if I actually heard his voice?

It wasn't just his Aussie accent ... it was another step ... was I ready for that? did I even want it?

I drug my heels for as long as I could but finally I agreed. We'd both be away for about two weeks ... me at a kids camp in Washington and then Bible clubs in Oregon ... he at a kids camp in Sydney and then a conference for the university ministry he'll be working at. We'd have plenty to talk about when we returned and hopefully it wouldn't be awkward.

While in Oregon, I realized my own affection for Mike. It had been there for a while but unknown to me till I got slapped in the face with petty jealousy. While in Sydney, Mike had written a lovely post on his blog encouraging the saints to encourage one another. I was able to check his blog one day, found the post, and also found that a friend of mine in Louisville had found his blog and posted a gushing comment thanking him for being such an encouragement himself and blah blah blah ...

"Back off!"

"What?" asked Amanda, my summer missionary partner.

"Hmm?"

"You just shouted at the computer screen to BACK OFF. What's up?"

I told her of the post and comment.

"Uh oh ... it's happened."

I rolled my eyes. "What's happened?"

"IT'S happened ... and you know how I know? ... you're jealous."

"Whatever. There's not a jealous bone in my body."

"Look at your face, Kious."

Indeed, it was red and I was breathing heavily. My eyes widened with the realization of it.

I didn't want Mike to date loads of girls in Hobart ... I didn't want Mike to be flattered by another girl in the United States ... I wanted Mike to date me!

It was awful ... yet wonderful ... all at the same time.

The day finally came when I heard his voice ... so natural ... of course it was Mike's voice ... who's else could it be? ... it always had been ... despite the lovely flow of our first voice conversation, I had to cut it short. I had to leave for a meeting at the church.

"Before you go, I want you to think and pray about something."

"Sure, Mike ... what is it?"

"Christine ... I like you."

And the rest ... you know.

Thanks, Meredith!

25 comments:

Lorie said...

I do what I can to get things rolling... :)

- The One Who Helped Christine Realize That She DOES, In Fact, Have a Jealous Bone (or Two) In Her Body

ckjolly said...

Thanks, Lorie. See you Sunday?

Kelli B said...

WOO! I'm tossing some excitement your way. I love it! Thanks for sharing your story. I love reading your posts - and I dont mind if they all become about Mike. :)

You're a pretty great gal. I'm very much excited for you. Oooh, and I wanted to toss this up for whatever it's worth: I am a firm believer that "it" (being a romance ignited) can happen long distance, whether through the internet, phones, email, chats, you name it! I lived w/ a girl in college who met and dated and married a man. They chatted long distance for an entire semester, then the second semester saw each other maybe once or LESS each month. It can happen, and IS happening with you, however fresh or new it may be. :)

Anonymous said...

Hi, I just thought I´d drop a line and say hi - I´m a friend of Mike´s from his church in Tassie and I followed his link here . . just an encouragement that yep it´s kinda way-out but really cool - seems like a really natural friendship that´s grown into something great. Mike´s a great bloke, may God bless you both as you follow his will for your lives.

Ruth said...

It's lovely to hear your side of the story too Christine. I am really glad that you two have 'found' each other. It was only when another girl from church started flirting with AB that I realised I was jealous, and therefore liked him! Jealousy is a good wakeup call isn't it!

Glad you like the accent too!

Bethany said...

Love the story..

Bobby said...

To go from calling a girl a feminazi to winning her heart -- now, that's a feat. Hat's off to you, Mike.

Speaking of headgear:

Nice hat,
Hnat.

Beret's suit you.

The Borg said...

Wow, Mike looks terribly bronzed in that photo...

Anyway, I hope Craig is reading this so that he can see the proof that it was I not him who was the catalyst here. ;)

I loved your telling of the story Christine. :)

Craig Schwarze said...

Yeah, but if it wasn't for me she would never have found your blog in the first place. Hence...

Dave Miers said...

cool story.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, this is a great post!

meredith said...

Hey CK, thought of you this morning after reading this and hearing 'Son of a Preacher Man' on BBC 2's Dawn Patrol. So, it was only the 'sweet-talkin' son of preacher man who could ever reach [you]' huh?

I agree with Bobby, that was some strange kinda sweet-talkin' for him to get your dander up with the insult thing first...!

(Maybe that's why no one is overly freaked out by your, um, transpacific thing. You being a famous 'dating nazi' and all and Mike being, well, kinda humble and not weird.)

;>

Jonny said...

Well however it goes, one thing for sure is both you guys are in deep.

I have seen and felt the scarf. Sort of a surreal experience. You made it real quick, I guess that was the thick wool.

And the real letters, in pen... How did the rose petals get through customs?

I have seen Mikes passport and tickets. He is definitely coming over there.

I sort of told him he had to get you on Skype (no accent hey? bollocks) and that he had to go over there. (Application for credit here). But he probably had it figured out already.

ckjolly said...

the rose petals? easy ... double zip lock baggies.

(just kidding)

indeed, Jonny ... Mike is the "man with a plan".

Lorie said...

And we all know that every girl wants a man with a plan. This is exciting. And, yep, I'll see you Sunday. Does this mean we all get to meet your Aussie boy, er...I mean, man?

ckjolly said...

in November!

ckjolly said...

please, Marian ... as if I cared about those sort of things!

6'4"

; )

dreamcoat boy said...

what is the timeline? when did you first talk? when did he first tell you that he liked you? when are you guys going to see each other?

am i a girl for wanting details?

sounds exciting.

ckjolly said...

indeed, it *is* a bit girly to be sooo into the details ... but it's one of my favorite subjects.

timeline:

first instant message conversation - June 4

when Mike asked me to send him shoes - June 16

our first SKYPE conversation - July 13? ... is that right?

when Mike told me he liked me - July 13 ... at the end of the conversation

when Mike is coming to see me - NOVEMBER!!!

oh ... and dreamcoat ... i'd recommend a couple of good soap operas to you, too ... if i watched any.

; )

my "man with a plan" tho has a different perspective on things ... you should ask him how his feelings came about.

The Librarian said...

OOOOOh! Goody! Getting together stories! I haven't seen Mike for a while now and he tends to ignore (;)) me on googletalk since you hooked up, so thanks for filling me in! :)

Did your stomach go all warm and fluttery when he told you he liked you??

Lukey told me when we were driving over a bridge to our first date...the fact that he couldn't even wait until we got to the movies turned me to musshh :)

OOOh puddin' and piedlin'!

The Librarian said...

I love that song by the way. She looks just like I imagined her...

straining vocal chords, smokey seventies clothes, brilliant!

ckjolly said...

Quite so, Aims ... plus, i have trouble sleeping now ... thinking of you-know-who

Anonymous said...

Between the two of you, you will give me diabetes with all this sweet, mushy stuff. And you aren't even going to meet til November! How will I survive? Somebody pass me some insulin... :)

ckjolly said...

for YOUR sake, Dave ... and i suppose others as well ... i've toned it down ... can't have you getting seizures now ... you have NO idea how mushy we really are!

Anonymous said...

We have even more in common than I thought, Christine. Good luck.

K.