Itty Bitty Family, Great Big Love: Our Journey from the beginning.

Let's get caught up from the beginning of our "family" until now!

Roman and i met online in the fall of 2004. However we didn't meet how you would think two people would meet online. There were no dating sites or chat rooms, for us it was a simple blogging site that brought us together. We had bother been members of a blogging community for a while, and knew some of the same people. Those people eventually led us to each other and we became quick friends.

At the time, I lived in a small town in North Carolina, and Roman in Chicago. We didn't expect much to come out of our friendship online but as the months passed we grew closer and eventually fell in love. Around 6 months after "meeting" online we finally met in person when i flew to Chicago...we haven't really be apart since!

In the summer of 2007, after almost 3 years of dating, we started talking about marriage. One day Roman took me to look at engagement rings...yep he took me along. My fault! I am a picky girl when it comes to jewelry and i really couldn't stomach the idea of him spending more than he should on something that i might not even like. I wasn't trying to be a brat, just practical! We went to over 10 stores and i found nothing. Prices were so high for so little! We decided to make one last stop before heading home, at a new engagement ring store. I practically had to be dragged in because at this point, i was done with the whole process. I was so tired and disappointed that i was ready to just put a cracker jack prize ring on and be done with it all! The store had some amazing rings of course, and the price tags to go along with them, some even more than i can imagine spending for a house! We finally found **THE** ring, it wasn't even what i was looking for, it was so simple yet exactly what i wanted. Roman agreed and went on with the purchase. Little did i know that he was planning a surprise proposal right there in the store! The associates took our picture when we were leaving and right then Roman got down on one knee and proposed! After picking out the ring, i didn't think i could be surprised by the proposal but i was. It was magic in a jewelry store!

This is the first picture of Roman and I together. Taken in early March, 2005, at the end of our first week together. This was right before we left for the airport.