How time flies when you're having fun! (Nike)

Emeka and I met at the Nigerian Village Network New Year party in 2005 and we danced together for about 21/2 hours! I could not believe time had passed by so fast while we danced and talked the night away. Emeka was so much fun to talk to and we found that we had a lot in common. At the end of the night he was able to get my email out of me.

Emeka did not write down my email address, so guess what? he forgot it!!! Lucky for him, he eventually got it from mutual friends who gave him a hard time before giving up my contact info. We traded emails back and forth for a while then we became closer and started to talk on the phone and hang out all the time. I found Emeka to be a complete gentleman, very caring and selfless, plus we enjoyed doing the same things. By the time he proposed to me, I did not see it coming, but I had no doubt in my heart that I would love to share forever with this man that has been my best friend and the love of my life.

 

Love Grows (Emeka)

One of the things that attracted me to Nike, apart from her dazzling beauty, confidence, grace and smarts is her being very amicable yet opinionated and stubborn. We don't always agree or hold the same opinion, but we are bonded friends that gravitate towards each other, even after arguments.

I have watched us grow through the different stages and hardships of a relationship. Despite our best efforts to keep our strong individualities, our relationship grew stronger on compromises. We learnt for ourselves how to deal with issues of trust, accommodation of feelings, relations with members of our families and the importance of agreeing on decisions. I have learnt that all my actions will affect her in one way or another.

I honestly love this woman with all my heart, and it makes me happy whenever I make her smile. I love our selfish time together at the expense of being around friends and guard it secretly. I appreciate the difference she has brought to my life and I am humbled by the changes I have brought to hers. My priorities, my views of life, my beliefs on what makes a man have completely changed because of her, and I am thankful. For me, it’s for the good friends and family to see and not the world.

 

On bended knees

I proposed to Nike about 2 year after we met. I had been thinking of proposing, long before I actually did, but I had to get over my fears, I believe that a good lover or companion, does not automatically make a good husband or wife, it requires a lot more than just holding hands. I was not sure we had reached that point, so I held back days, months, years watching us grow together in our relationship, this being my first real serious longtime relationship and her past experiences did not help matters, we both had our fears, but we learnt and it brought us closer.

The day I proposed was a day like any other, no mystical before the night shooting stars, or early morning good omens, or anything special to mark something significant was going to happen in my life. It was just a Saturday evening drive to a prayer meeting called YP (Young Professionals) in downtown Seattle. When we got to the meeting, a feeling deep inside me was getting stronger and stronger telling me“Yes, it was time! we are ready to take the next step”. Nike was sitting in the passenger seat of the car and I asked her “Nike will you marry me!”, to which her quick response was “Are you serious!?”, I asked again “Nike will you marry me!”, and her second response with a questionable stare, “Have you been drinking something?”, then I asked again “Nike will you marry me!”, this time she gave me the response I needed to hear, “Yes! Of course I’ll marry you!” Then she just sat in her seat totally bewildered; it took about the whole night for it to really sink in that I had asked for her hand in marriage. That may not have been the most romantic spot and I did not plan to do it without a ring, but my heart could not hold it in any longer, I just had to do it when I did, but when I got the ring a couple of months later, I asked her all over again, this time on my knees, her answer?..