On this day ten years ago I started dating the man who would become my biggest cheerleader, my counterpart, the one who would make me laugh countless times each day, and my partner. It didn’t take long to realize just how smitten and lucky I was. Now, ten years later, I am so thankful that Alex and I met each other so early on in our lives.
It is amazing to think back to life in the dorms and that frat party where it all started {classy, right? but really, it wasn’t what you’re thinking – promise!} and consider all that has happened between now and then – we have changed so much since we were college freshmen.
As Alex and I got to know each other initially {pre-frat party :)} I remember so vividly that he would come and sit in my dorm room and we would just talk like old friends. We got to know each other really easily and very quickly. One of the things I fondly recall is how highly Alex spoke of his family. He would tell me stories of his mother’s cooking, how awesome his dad “Stan the Man” was, hilarious recounts of having an older sister, and generally of his gigantic Italian family and how much fun they were. I had no idea how wonderful his family was then and I am very thankful to have married into such a fun and loving family.
It’s pretty incredible that not only did we survive all four years of college without breaking up once, but we survived the transition to adulthood and moving across the country together. What’s even more incredible, I think, is that life just somehow keeps getting better and better.
One of my favorite parts of our relationship is skiing. Yes, skiing is a part of our relationship. What I love about skiing together is that we share a love of a common hobby with each other. We get to spend a day in the mountains just having fun together. I really can’t think of many things better than that. Every day we ski together is a great day, even if that means we ski one run and retreat to the patio because conditions sucked. We’re not there to fulfill a quota, we’re there to have a good time together.
Let me tell you, you can learn a lot about someone who learns to ski as an adult! Having been taught how to ski around age two I had a clear advantage here. Alex basically just followed me around the mountain our first two years out here, trying not to fall, while I just hopped around strutting my stuff {again, how classy!}.
Alex could hardly ski down a black diamond with moguls on it without falling every turn. Being the gem I am I refused to help him up saying that if he’s going to keep falling he’s got to learn how to get up, and maybe by getting up on his own it’ll teach him not to fall. It’s a miracle he didn’t dump me there on Parachute run!
He was such a good sport and was so determined – he loved skiing so much that he continued to push himself further and harder. He really powered through it and seeing him ski today you would never believe he is entering his seventh ski season. Now Alex has gotten so fast that I can’t keep up with him!
Both Alex and I regularly count our blessings that we met each other so early on and that we have been able to share such a special relationship. We are well aware that not everyone has been blessed with a marriage filled with laughter, compromise, appreciation, respect and integrity. While we continue to feel exceptionally fortunate for what we have, we also work quite hard at biting our tongue when we need to, remembering to encourage each other instead of criticize the other for his faults, making date nights a priority, having so much fun together, and filling each day with a whole lot of love.
As we acknowledge a full decade together today we will be looking forward to our “real” celebration, which will take place later on in October with a mini-vacation to Woodinville, Washington, where we will splurge on a hotel, fabulous dinner and big wine tasting excursion. We’re also so thankful to have some pretty amazing friends, so we’ve invited them to celebrate with us when we do wine tasting. We are really looking forward to a relaxing, low-key weekend to recount our ten years together.
Here’s to the future of us!