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!