Five years ago, on a beautiful October day (one very similar to today, actually!), Paul and I got married. For anyone who might not know, we're one of those couples who met online. Paul was just starting his online dating career, and in fact had only been on one other date when we met. I'd been doing the online thing for a full year, and had pretty much given up on meeting anyone that way. After getting a message from Paul I thought I'd give one last shot to someone a bit outside of my usual dating box- go against my usual type and see what happens.
After many emails and several phone calls, we met up at my local neighborhood bar. And as corny as it sounds, it was love at first sight. Our first date was in mid-February, and by April I'd pretty much moved in with him. By June I'd met his brothers and he'd met mine and he proposed. A year and a few months later we were married in the small church that my parents and grandparents were married in and the rest is history.. Our history, at least....
On our fourth date.... February, 2005.
My first trip to Vegas to meet Paul's brother.... Spring, 2005.
The day after we got engaged Gabby and I "officially" moved in with Paul and Socks... Summer, 2005.
At the wedding of friends... Summer, 2005.
Our uber-cheesy,very posed, engagement photo.... Summer, 2005.
With Paul's first love: his GTO. And with mine: Gabby. Summer, 2006.
On our wedding day- quite literally one of the happiest days of my life... October 21, 2006
Self-portrait on honeymoon in Lake Tahoe... Fall, 2006
Little Paul, (AKA Mr. Baldie in this photo) makes his appearance... Winter, 2008
Family portrait.... Summer 2009.
Family portrait.... Fall 2010
Family portrait... Fall 2011
After many emails and several phone calls, we met up at my local neighborhood bar. And as corny as it sounds, it was love at first sight. Our first date was in mid-February, and by April I'd pretty much moved in with him. By June I'd met his brothers and he'd met mine and he proposed. A year and a few months later we were married in the small church that my parents and grandparents were married in and the rest is history.. Our history, at least....
On our fourth date.... February, 2005.
My first trip to Vegas to meet Paul's brother.... Spring, 2005.
The day after we got engaged Gabby and I "officially" moved in with Paul and Socks... Summer, 2005.
At the wedding of friends... Summer, 2005.
Our uber-cheesy,very posed, engagement photo.... Summer, 2005.
With Paul's first love: his GTO. And with mine: Gabby. Summer, 2006.
On our wedding day- quite literally one of the happiest days of my life... October 21, 2006
Self-portrait on honeymoon in Lake Tahoe... Fall, 2006
Little Paul, (AKA Mr. Baldie in this photo) makes his appearance... Winter, 2008
Family portrait.... Summer 2009.
Family portrait.... Fall 2010
Family portrait... Fall 2011
Since we've met we've accomplished so much in our life together. We bought and pretty much completely renovated our house, we had a wonderful, smart and funny son, and we've all been blessed with health and happiness. We've had our moments of stress and anger and anxiety, to be sure, and there were a few times when we thought maybe we couldn't make things work but we always do, and we always come through those times stronger than before...
With the weddings of both of my brothers in the past couple of months, we've had a lot of discussions and late night chats (late, for Paul, being 9 p.m.) about being newlyweds, being parents, being not-so-newlyweds, and about where our life together has been and where it's going. And we're both really excited to see what the future will bring for our family...
And so, as we say to each other every year, and as I shared in a toast at my brother's wedding a few weeks ago:
With the weddings of both of my brothers in the past couple of months, we've had a lot of discussions and late night chats (late, for Paul, being 9 p.m.) about being newlyweds, being parents, being not-so-newlyweds, and about where our life together has been and where it's going. And we're both really excited to see what the future will bring for our family...
And so, as we say to each other every year, and as I shared in a toast at my brother's wedding a few weeks ago:
Here's to another eighty years!!!
LOVE YOU GUYS! Your marriage is totally awesome. Here's to another eighty years!
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