Its been quite a journey for us, hasn't it? Lucky for us, we're only beginning!

Where do I start?

I always knew who Sam was because I always saw his pictures and even saw a video of him in a New Years' show back in 2002 at CSULB. I always found him attractive but never did anything about it because I'm quite shy and have never approached a guy before. Throughout the years, I would pass by his homepage occasionally like I would anybody else's. He had a girlfriend at the time... and I had a boyfriend. I guess we can say that we were both curious strangers who found an interest in one another. He was steered away by my dramatic ways... and I don't blame him! A year or two later,the both of us were pretty much single. He sent me a message to ask about the weather in Seattle since he has a friend who lives up here. That was when we started talking online via KC, emails, and AIM. He had asked me to be his friend, but I told him that in order to be my friend, he'd have to buy me shoes! I think he was under the impression that I was a gold digger... which is something I LOVE to portray to turn people running the other direction! It didn't work on him... he knew how to get me tongue tied. He wasn't trying to pursue me at the time... or at least it didn't seem like it, and I really liked that about him. We talked almost everyday online... kind of pathetic, I know. I believe we finally exchanged phone numbers because both of us had long commutes home from work and suggested we keep each other company... but neither took the initiative to make the first call.

Finally I was bored after work one day while waiting for the bus in downtown Seattle and had no one else to talk to, so as a last resort (just kidding, babe!) I decided to call him. I remember him missing his exit home because he was so distracted by me! He told me he was really nervous! I thought it was hilarious... yet so cute.

We continued to talk for months... but it was nothing serious. We were just friends at the time and didn't think too much of the situation. We both really enjoyed each other's company. He later confessed to me that he always loved talking to me because he has a permanent smile on his face whenever he did. (Yeah... he really said that!) After a while, little feelings started to develop and the we started to care more and more. We didn't think that we would ever meet anyhow, so there was no point in trying... or so we thought.

In May of 2005, four of my girlfriends and I decided to go on an all girls' trip to Las Vegas. I have two sisters who live in Long Beach, along with my niece and nephews. I also had friends who lived in the same area whom I wanted to visit as well... one of them was Sam. I convinced my girlfriends to all rent a car to drive from Las Vegas to Long Beach... I offered to drive since it was my suggestion. I admit that I was really looking forward to seeing him, and I was SO nervous! I drove for about 5 or 6 hours straight while my friends were asleep, after getting barely 2 hours of sleep the night prior. He kept calling me to see where we were at... I figured he was a little bit excited too?

Finally, we arrived in Long Beach at my sister's house where I picked up my nephews to come have dinner with us girls and Sam. We were originally supposed to attend a bonfire, but we got there too late. I was so nervous that I could feel the sweat on my nose! I walked into Sophy's where Sam was waiting... and there he was. I said 'Hi' to him briefly, but then continued to greet the owner of the restaurant who happened to be someone I know. I didn't want to say too much because I didn't know what he thought about me and was afraid that he was disappointed in what he saw. He somehow won my friends over during dinner... and my friends insisted that he came out with us that night. We had an awesome time, and Sam was very hospitable and sweet... he definitely won over my friends, which is not very easy to do.

The next day, Sam offered to take us around Long Beach, bring us to Bolsa Chica, and later brought us to the LA airport. I really didn't want to leave, but I knew that I had to come home and face reality. Sam gave me a surprising kiss on the cheek... and I couldn't stop thinking about him since.

We continued to talk as we did... but probably 5 times as much and we both knew that there were much feelings involved. The distance was really hard because we already missed each other like crazy! My summer was busy and so was his, so we didn't get to see each other again until August 31st when he came to visit for Labor Day weekend. Although we knew exactly how we felt about each other, I never considered us "together" until he uttered the question, "Would you be my girlfriend?" the morning that he was about to leave back to Long Beach, onSeptember 4th, 2006.

And that is how we came to be. The distance is hard but we are pulling through just fine... better than many (including myself) could have imagined. This is only the beginning...