I started working at National Financial Partners (NFP) in April 2002 when I was 24 years old. I don't remember exactly how or when I met Joe - but we worked on the same floor in the same department. I always enjoyed his sense of humor and thought he was really nice. We would see each other out at various events and go to lunch together on occasion.

One day after seeing Joe walk down the hall I remember telling one of my girlfriends that I thought he was really cute. Not too long after that I took my sister Deb to his housewarming party. After we left she asked me why I wasn't with him - she said we seemed like we would be perfect together. I told her that I never got the feeling that he was interested in me for anything more than a friend. I never brought it up with him, and we remained friends even after I moved to a different department on another floor.

After spending a lot of time together at the company holiday party in 2006, things changed. A few days after the party my good friend Lisa asked me if I still liked Joe. I hadn't thought about him as anything other than a friend for so long, and I was actually trying to set him up with my friend Barb at the time. Lisa told me flat out: "He's totally in love with you. I can tell by the way he looks at you!". I thought she was absolutely crazy!! But then, I started thinking about it...I was telling my friend Barb how cute and funny and sweet Joe was. What was my problem?! He IS sweet & cute & funny - and I wanted him for myself!!

After this realization (and a lot of flirting over the next couple of weeks) Joe & I talked about things and it turned out he was interested after all! I called my friend Barb to let her know what was up. I said I was sorry, but I really thought Joe was 'it' for me, and that I didn't want her to go out with him because I wanted to. She was glad to step out of the picture after she found out how serious I was about him. Joe and I went on our first date on Christmas Day, 2006. We saw a slasher flick, the remake of Black Christmas.

We dated about a month before deciding we wanted to be exclusive. I met his family around August 2007 - just in time to get to know everyone before Thanksgiving! Joe & I have lived together since October 2007, and he popped the question on October 25th, 2008. But that's another story...