10 Years

Today, Eric and I are celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary.

A decade has passed since I promised to love him faithfully, entirely, and endlessly. At the time, that day was the most perfect day I could have imagined, but it was only the beginning.

In the past ten years, we have spent countless nights with the TV paused for hours, too engrossed in conversation with each other to concern ourselves with the show's conclusion.

We have embraced each other's interests and found joy and togetherness in new shared hobbies.

We have lived and loved in New York City and Washington, D.C., making memories that will last our lifetime.

We have packed up our belongings and created new homes nine times, in four states.

We have made new friends, and bid them farewell as life led us to new places.

We have prayed and planned and jumped without knowing the outcome into career changes, always in search of the best life for our family.

We have made a home within whatever walls house us at any time.

We have made unforgettable memories both overseas and across seemingly countless miles in the  U.S. (and a touch of Canada!).

We have cared for each other in sickness, and cheered for each other through physical challenges.

We have leaned on each other through Eric's mother's stroke and grieved together after her passing.

We have mourned babies that might have been and rejoiced at the first cries of Elizabeth Alice and Eric James. Eric tirelessly supported me physically, mentally and emotionally through labor and childbirth, and since those life-changing days, we have celebrated each of our children's milestones together (including Ellie's first day of kindergarten this week).

We have watched each other grow from kids ourselves to parents, both feeling more confident in this new role because the other is by our side.

We have laughed ourselves into hysterics, and wiped away each other's tears.

We have supported each other's ambitions and encouraged each other's dreams.

We have been each other's constant in times of change and upheaval.

We have loved each other. So much.

Thank you, Eric, for this beautiful decade. It is tempting to say it has been the greatest time of my life, but as I look eagerly at the decades still to come for us, I have no reason to believe things won't just keep getting better. Thank you for loving me so completely, for our family and for the life we have built together.

I love you through and through. You are my favorite, my lobster, and my wish come true.

VIDEO: Meghan & Eric - 10 years!

Eight Years

Today marks eight years since I started this blog! WHAT. I never would have thought it would go on this long. I'm not sure we'll make it until nine years, but today, we'll celebrate eight!

Of course, this is also my 1,299th post. The NEED FOR ORDER part of me is twitching that I didn't make it to an even 1,300 by the eighth anniversary, because it's just so much cleaner to say "eight years and 1,300 posts!" but I guess I'm just going to have to live on the edge a little bit this year.

Anyway, as always, thank you to those of you who read, especially of those who aren't even related to us. I'm touched that you take an interest in our family, and I enjoy sharing our life with you.

In honor of the day, I give you one of the very first pictures I ever posted of Eric and me on the blog (posted after his law school graduation in May 2008, and the most recent one posted of our family! These eight years have been so good to us!

Here's to eight years, friends!

Celebrating 17 Years at the Beach

Phew, I took another little blog hiatus there! So, let's backtrack a little bit.

We had a very rain-filled Labor Day weekend. On Saturday, we planned to go down to St. Augustine for their 450th anniversary celebration, but it started pouring rain (like, torrential downpour) within minutes of our arrival at our destination. So, we called it and outlet shopped instead. On Sunday, we wanted to go to the beach, but again, as we were pulling into the beach parking lot, it started raining buckets. Then on Monday, we planned to go to the last Jacksonville Suns game of the season. We bought our tickets and went inside, and had just enough time to wander through the gift shop before the rain delay (and eventual game cancellation) kicked in. What a soggy weekend, indeed.

I'll share some pictures from the game in my next post, but today I wanted to talk more about our beach day. See, Eric and I made these plans to go to the beach over Labor Day weekend for a very special reason: Labor Day this year marked 17 years since Eric first asked me to be his girlfriend, and he did so the very first time we went to the beach together. So, it seemed fitting to go back to the beach, now with our two kids in tow, as a little mini-celebration.

So, we loaded up the car, covered everyone with sunblock and headed out there (no small feat, my friends). And right as we arrived, the rain started. We decided to just park and sit in the car for a few minutes to see if it would blow over, and eventually our patience was rewarded. As it started to clear out, we got out and decided to walk along the boardwalk and out on the pier to let things dry out a bit.

Not ideal beach weather

Family photo on the pier! The sun is shining!

Lovebirds

Piggyback problems

Convinced the rain would continue to stay out over the ocean and let us have some beach fun, we returned to the car for our things and made the most of the rest of our morning. We ended up having a really nice time!

Honestly, this child.

Ellie loves playing in the sand!

Looking like a little baby model

Pretty Ellie!

Happy kids at the beach!

Chasing seagulls

"Kiss, E.J.!" (He obliged)

Buried!

Handsome guys

Off to fetch some water in our buckets

Looking so big

Looking so big, too!

E.J. loves the waves!

Fun in the ocean with my boy!

I'm so glad we waited out the storm, because it was really a fun morning for all of us!

And I'm even more glad that Eric asked me something so life-changing on that Labor Day in 1998. It was the start of something really special!

Eight Years

Today Eric and I are celebrating our eighth wedding anniversary! We don't have any major plans for the day, though we are working on putting together a date night this weekend. We have spent most of every day all summer long together, but most of it has been a whirlwind of activity so it will be nice to carve out a few hours for ourselves.

A few weeks ago Eric and I were talking and the conversation turned to the topic of my impressions of Eric. I'm not even sure how it came up or what the exact context was, but the question that was hanging out there, as I saw it, was: "Am I impressed by Eric?" I answered something along the lines of, "Of course I'm impressed by you!" because of course I'm impressed by him. I thought that was obvious!

I mean, I think my husband is a pretty objectively impressive guy: he played myriad sports in high school; he graduated with a 4.0 in college; he has a law degree from Georgetown; his first "real" job was at a big law firm in New York City; he gave up his law career in favor of teaching in a Title I School; he's a doting husband and father. Sounds like a pretty stand-up guy, right?

But there's more to him than that. These are just a few examples of things that impress me about my husband:

I'm impressed that after a long day at work, he comes home and jumps right into changing dirty diapers and reading children's books ad nauseam (and he even does voices!).

I'm impressed by the grace with which he handled himself this summer when his mother and grandmother passed. He stepped up to do what he needed to make sure their lives were remembered as they should be. They would have been very proud, I think.

I'm impressed by the amount of time and effort he puts in each and every day to try to figure out what our next step in life is. He is constantly looking for new options and weighing all possibilities. I know that it is always on his mind because he is so committed to making the best possible choice for our family.

I'm impressed by how much weight he gives my feelings about our future location. He knows that I miss New York City so spends hours searching for apartments that might in any way be affordable for our family of four within reasonable distance of the city. I know that if I said, "I want to go back to New York," that is exactly what we would do and he would figure everything else out along the way to make that happen for me.

I'm impressed by his last two years of teaching. Not only is he a finalist for Teach of the Year, after only teaching two years ever, but he is constantly re-evaluating his methods and trying to figure out what is the best way to reach his students.

I'm impressed by his relentless thirst for knowledge. He is forever reading books about things like the economy and history and politics, trying to grow his knowledge base. He enjoys debating current issues because he, unlike so many, likes to be challenged in his beliefs and is eager to rethink his current positions in light of opposing arguments (and he actually does it!).

I'm impressed by his patience with the kids and how perfectly we seem to balance each other out. When I'm about at my wits' end, he is always the calm voice to step in and take over so I can catch my breath. He works hard to teach them things and help me raise them to be good people.

I'm impressed by what a great husband he really is. He is so attentive to my needs and my concerns. He always listens and offers his best advice. He wants to make me feel special. He lets me know he appreciates me and all that I do for our kids. He talks often about how much he values our relationship and how lucky we are, and he is absolutely right.

My husband is a very impressive guy, and I'm so pleased that I am the woman who gets to be married to him. This past year has been another crazy one for us, with a new house, a new baby, the loss of three family members, a marathon, travel, etc. And of course, we are still very much in transition and are working every day to figure out where we are headed next. But even with all that madness all around us, the love we share never wavers. We are in this thing together, and we can handle anything that comes across our plate as partners.

And so, onward! Let's see what else the future brings for us and for our family!

Happy anniversary, Eric, you impressive man, you. I love you so much.

1,175 Posts in Seven Years

I just had to mark the day: it's my seventh blogiversary! I have been logging our lives here for seven years as of today. I sooooooo did not expect it to go on this long. I don't know how much longer it will continue in the future, but we're taking things day by day and today is NOT the day we wrap things up.

As always, thanks for sticking with me and reading my words and sharing in our experiences. I have loved these last seven years with my husband and our little family, and I'm so happy to have been able to share it with our family and friends.

So, onward!

One of the very first photos of Eric and me I ever posted on here, after his law school graduation in 2008

And, our family now, seven years later!

Kappa Phi Epsilon

This past Saturday, Eric drove down to Gainesville for the day to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the beginning of Kappa Phi Epsilon, the Christian fraternity he helped start during our time at the University of Florida.

Ten years already! Hard to believe! In these 10 years, the fraternity has grown from six guys to almost 80 active brothers. They even occupy a 39-bedroom house on campus. Many Kappa Phis have become influential on campus, holding executive roles in on-campus ministries, Student Government and Florida Blue Key. Alumni have earned or are in the process of earning MBAs (including from Wharton), law degrees (including from Georgetown), PhDs (including from MIT), and MD degrees (including from Chicago). And even with all this growth, the organization remains strongly committed to fulfilling its original purpose of providing a Christian alternative to a traditional fraternity.

In order to mark the progress of these 10 years, five of the six of the Alpha class members joined active members and alumni from the subsequent 20 pledge classes this past weekend for dinner, Gator football, BBQ and board meeting. Eric said it was great to be back on campus and to see the growth in the fraternity. He got to spend some time in the house and speak with the men who have helped shape the organization into what it has become. I think there was a little aura of celebrity around him, considering that as a founder, all new pledges have to memorize his name, so there were some "ooooh" moments of recognition when he introduced himself! It sounded like he had a great time and I'm so proud of him for kickstarting something that has really turned into such a positive addition to University of Florida student life. What a great way to leave your mark on your university!

Before the game on Saturday, Eric walked around campus and got to take this picture at the Heisman House! I think it looks pretty natural, don't you? Maybe this is a look into E.J.'s future...

The Kappa Phi house!

Four of the six founders: Josh, Eric, Joey and Gary, ten years later!

Longer Together Than Apart

Today marks 16 years since Eric first asked me to be his girlfriend. This is a big day for us, not only because it commemorates the official start to our relationship, but because as of today, we have officially been a part of each other's lives for longer than not. I have known (and loved) Eric for more days of my 32 years than days that I haven't. And that is pretty cool.

Sixteen years ago today, it was September 7, 1998. Eric was a high school sophomore, and I was a junior. I had just turned 16 years old, and Eric was still fifteen for a few more months. I wore crop tops to show off my naval piercing and Eric was considering frosted tips in his hair. The boy band 'N Sync was just about to hit it big (and would give us "our song" a couple months later). Suffice it to say, it was kind of a long time ago.

We had the day off from school for Labor Day, and I invited Eric to join my family at the beach. He agreed, and as we walked along the Gulf, he asked me to be his girlfriend. I played it cool (I think...) and casually said yes, but inwardly my teenage self was screaming HE JUST ASKED ME OUT HE JUST ASKED ME OUT HE JUST ASKED ME OUT WE'RE TOTALLY GETTING MARRIED OMG. Just like that, in all caps with no punctuation, because 15-year-old Eric was fiiiiine.

We dated through high school, going to proms and homecomings and football games and band competitions and graduations together. We dated in college, cheering for the Gators and dancing the night away in night clubs. We dated and got engaged in graduate school in Washington, D.C. under the glow of the illuminated monuments on the National Mall. Nine years after Eric first asked me to be with him, we exchanged vows in front of friends and family in St. Petersburg, Florida. Since then, our journey together has continued to adventures in New York City and new beginnings in Jacksonville, Florida, with the joyful addition of two beautiful children. To say we've enjoyed a charmed life together would be to put it rather lightly.

Sometimes it can be hard to believe how wonderfully it has worked out for us, considering just how young we were when we first started dating. We were just kids. How did we really end up here?

You're just not supposed to actually end up with your high school sweetheart. That just isn't what is supposed to happen. The person you date in high school is supposed to just be someone to have fun with, until they inevitably break your heart and teach you valuable lessons about life and yourself as a person and that sort of thing. That's just how it works. And really, over the course of our relationship, I suppose Eric and I did do all of those things for each other. But somehow, while we were inadvertently teaching one another whatever valuable life lessons there were to be learned, we never really parted. We were always there, learning and growing together.

Sure, we broke up at the end of high school and beginning of college. The reason why? Because you're not supposed to actually end up with your high school sweetheart. That was really it. You just don't find your soulmate at the age of fifteen. So we tried to go our separate ways and live our separate lives, but we were just drawn back together time and time again. It took quite a bit of up-and-down, back-and-forth before we settled back in together, but once we did, we didn't look back. It was onward, together, for the rest of our lives. Somehow, we had found our soulmates at the age of fifteen.

Eric came into my life at the time when I needed him most. When we met, my entire world felt like it was upside down and Eric was the one who kept me rightside up. He was a calm, logical, level-headed, reassuring presence when the rest of my life was anything but. And even with all that seriousness, all that gravity in our relationship, we just had fun together. So, so much fun. On our very first date, we went roller-skating and we laughed together until our faces hurt. And now sixteen years later, I still look at that man beside me on the couch and see that skinny kid at the roller-rink and feel that soreness in my cheeks thanks to the unwavering smile he still puts on my face.

I don't know how we got so lucky as to find each other so early in life, but I'm so glad that we did. Eric is my very best friend and I love him completely. I am so thankful that we have had so many years together, that so many of our memories are shared memories, that I have had him by my side for so much of my life. And of course, I look forward to the rest of my life with him still to come. Sixteen years...as my grandfather would say, that's a "great start." But there is still so, so much to look forward to, and the teenage girl in me is just as giddy about it now as I was sixteen years ago today.

Thanks for asking me that great question, Eric Ryan. I love you.

16 years of happy memories!

No Itching!

August 18, 2007

Today Eric and I are celebrating our seventh wedding anniversary, and I am pleased to report that neither one of us is the least bit itchy. No seven-year-itch in sight over here!

What a year of marriage we've had! This past year may go on record as being the one most characterized by change of our entire marriage. It certainly is to this point, I'd say. On our anniversary last year, we had just moved to Jacksonville and Eric was about to start his first year of teaching. So, one year has seen Eric start and finish Year One of teaching, including coaching football. We moved out of our apartment and into a new rental house. And, the biggest change of all: our family grew by one sweet little boy.

I'm sad to say that our anniversary seems to be getting lost in the shuffle a bit this year. Aside from the facts that our house is still a disaster zone and today is Eric's first day back at school with students, this summer has been particularly crazy. The past six weeks since E.J. was born have been a complete whirlwind and I know there have been many times that I have felt like my head is barely above water, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if Eric felt the same. Just in the past week, we've been trying desperately to settle in to our new home while Eric worked to prep for the new school year (including making adjustments after learning he will not have a classroom of his own, but will be traveling from room to room this year). Any free time we have had that hasn't been taken up with unpacking or lesson planning or cleaning or caring for our kids has been spent trying to show said kids a fun time (zoo, pool, playgrounds), and not planning any sort of anniversary celebration for ourselves. Good luck to us in year eight, am I right?

But just because there aren't any big plans on the agenda doesn't mean the day will go unnoticed. Tonight we'll get some dinner to go from someplace (see? literally no plans have been made), watch our wedding video and talk to each other. We like to reminisce, talk about where we are now and where we're headed. Spoiler alert: the past was good, the present is great, and we fully expect the future to be even better.

When Eric and I got married, we had nine years of fun behind us. We were more in love with each other than ever and had so many great thing ahead of us to look forward to. I had high hopes for our relationship on that day that I said "I do," but now, seven years later, it's so much better than I ever imagined. We have made so many great memories and each year has only strengthened our relationship and left us enjoying, trusting and loving each other even more. Additionally, our family has grown by two beautiful children so today not only am I unbelievably in love with my husband, but with my family. I look at the three of them and cannot believe how lucky I am to be a part of this family.

I really like where Eric and I are in our relationship right now, actually. We've been married for seven years and together for a total of nearly 16, so we know each other. We each know how the other thinks, feels and processes things. We each know how the other handles stress and what really gets under our skin. We each know what makes the other laugh, what challenges them, what they enjoy and what to say to bring comfort and reassurance in times of uncertainty. We know each others' stories (and were there for the creation of many of them!) and just know what makes the other person tick. Yet at the same time, we're still new and young enough to still be learning new things about each other all the time. Even after all this time together, we still have new stories to share with one another and there are still things we just haven't yet learned about each other. In addition, as we grow and change as both a couple and individuals, we're getting to know each other in new ways. Currently, we're primarily getting to know each other as parents. Our relationship is constantly evolving and it is a really cool thing to have that familiarity and comfort that comes from a long-term relationship, while simultaneously maintaining the exciting newness of a couple just getting to know each other.

Looking forward, I can't help but wonder if there will come a day when the newness has fully faded away, when we have been together so long that we can know what the other is thinking without speaking a word, when we can each recite the other's stories, and when all that is left to do is to sit together in comfortable quiet, content with the knowledge that we know each other as whole people and still love each other entirely. I hope so. I hope we're blessed with a marriage that lasts that long, till we're old and gray and out of new stories to tell. Of course, knowing my husband, there will never come a day when there are no words left to be spoken - with him, there will always be something to debate, discuss, analyze or question! And that is just fine with me, because that's the man I married. And I love him entirely.

Eric, thank you for being the husband you are. In every way, you are more than I could have hoped for. Thank you for all you do to take care of me and of our family, for being my very best friend, for sharing my stories and making me smile. The past seven years have far exceeded any and all expectations I could have ever had and I am so thankful to have been able to share them with you. Happy anniversary to my absolute favorite. I love you, always and forever.

Six Years of Blogging

Today marks six years since the beginning of this little blogging experiment. It's hard to believe that I've been at it this long, but considering I just marked my 1,000th post last week, clearly I've been at this for a little while.

I don't know what fate awaits this ol' blog in the future. If I'm being honest, at times writing new posts feels more like a chore than the fun hobby it used to be. Not all the time, but sometimes. As a new mother, it's just harder to find the free time to write, and what free time I do have often gets earmarked for other things, so blogging just ends up as another item on the never-ending to-do list. Yet on the other hand, I like that having this log of our lives out there in the public domain holds me accountable and forces me to keep on posting, because I do really cherish the record of the last six years that is left here. I know that a great number of the memories I have recorded here will be ones that will stick with us for a lifetime, but some others (and even some smaller details of the big ones) otherwise would likely fade away if not for this documentation.

The last six years have been such an incredible time for Eric and me - as newlyweds, graduate students, new New Yorkers, new parents, and a lawyer-turned-teacher. When I started this blog, we were living in Washington, D.C. I had just graduated from my Masters program and Eric was wrapping up law school at Georgetown. We were preparing for our move to New York City, where Eric began his time as a lawyer. Since those early posts, we have relished living in New York City, traveled, experienced some family crises, made and strengthened friendships, worked hard, played harder, moved to Hoboken, became parents, given up the lawyer life, moved to Florida, gotten Eric's career as a teacher underway and we are now expecting a second baby. That, my friends, is one heck of a six years, and man, am I glad to have all my memories and photos of that time preserved here, in one place.

Eric and me at his law school graduation - aka the EARLY blog days! May 2008

Our family has changed a bit in the last six years!

And so time will tell what path this blog takes in the coming weeks, months, and years. I hope that I can continue to keep up with it, but I'm realistic about the fact that it may not always be something I enjoy. No matter what happens, I will always be grateful for this record and I am so thankful that there are people out there who enjoy reading it, too. You help keep me motivated to keep going, and I appreciate that!

So for now, let the posts go on. Our ride isn't over yet!

Steak 'N Shake

As you know, last Saturday Eric and I celebrated 15 years since we first started dating. Charlie's party was on that anniversary, so we primarily spent the day celebrating with family. However, we decided to do a little something that evening to pay homage to Early Meghan and Eric. That little something was taking Ellie for her very first meal at "our" Steak 'N Shake.

I've mentioned before that Steak 'N Shake plays a pretty big part in our history, and really worked its way through our entire families. My very first job was as a waitress at the Steak 'N Shake at Gateway Mall in St. Petersburg. They had just built it and it was opening right as I was looking for a job in the fall of my junior year of high school. My reason for seeking employment? My homecoming dance was coming up (the very one that I wore my Titanic-inspired jewelry to), and I wanted to be able to afford to pay for Eric's ticket.

I was hired basically on-the-spot, and thus began my new part-time job as a server. I worked several four-hour shifts a week, and for a 16-year-old kid, the money was great. I generally made $40 in tips every four hours, plus my $2.13 hourly rate. There aren't a lot of jobs out there that pay $12/hour to punk kids in their first job. I was pretty good at it, too, if I do say so myself. Before I knew it I was some sort of shift supervisor and was training other new servers. Many of the other servers were fellow high school kids, so I made lots of friends there, too. In the early days, I would use the pay phone in the break room (no cell phones yet!) to call Eric, or sometimes, he would come up to hang out with me on my break. His home was only a short jog a way.

Later, when Eric needed a job, guess where he applied? Soon we were working together, and although it pains me to admit it, he was also really good at it. Well, at the serving part; I was often picking up his slack on the sidework end (don't you even try to deny it, Eric!). But my Steak 'N Shake employment referrals didn't stop there! In time, my sister Heather also worked there, as did both Eric's brother and sister. Kelley even was a manager for a while! And as for me, I worked there all through high school and whenever I was home on Christmas/summer breaks during college. So, a really long time.

Heather and me on the job in 2003

Needless to say, we feel a nice sense of nostalgia about Steak 'N Shake, and I was excited to take Ellie to the very location that was such a part of our early history. So after Charlie's party, on our 15-year anniversary, we headed to Gateway Mall, grabbed a seat at Table 14 and enjoyed a delicious meal - no longer as two high school kids working to save money for homecoming dances, but as a family with our sweet baby in tow.

We even tried to get Miss Ellie into the spirit of things with an official Steak 'N Shake uniform hat, but she was not enthused. Perhaps food service is not in her future.

An unfortunately blurry picture, because that lip can't be beat.

She didn't mind so much if other people wore it, though.

Daddy is so funny.

She did also enjoy the coloring page and stickers that came tucked inside her hat.

Coloring!

Fun with stickers

When the food came, she chowed down on grilled cheese, applesauce (so many more side dish choices now than in my day!), and of course, shoestring fries.

Nom, nom, nom.

My sister was on her way to my dad's house to hang out with us as we were finishing up our meal, so she just met us there and Ellie helped her sample some fries.

Fries for Auntie Heather

I think Ellie enjoyed her first taste of Steak 'N Shake and it was fun to incorporate her into our history there. It was just so funny to sit there at Table 14, in what was formerly the smoking section but was always one of the "best" sections, remembering our young high school selves running around behind the server station. We thought of both good times and stressful days, the people we met, the nuances of the restaurant. To be back so many years later, married, with a child...it's just funny. It's just another piece of our history that I love that we share!

W. Family at Table 14!

1998

Today marks 15 years since Eric and I first became boyfriend and girlfriend. Fifteen years.

Last year on this anniversary, I recounted how we met and how we actually came to be "Meghan and Eric." I even shared old love letters and moderately embarrassing pictures of 16-year-old me.

Fifteen years ago, I had just turned 16 years old. I was a junior in high school, in honors classes, with short hair and braces, and was a member of the marching band. (Read: nerd.) Eric was a 125-pound 15-year-old high school sophomore with nice abs. He was in an advanced math and science program at his high school, ran cross-country and played football. (Read: some sort of weird cool guy/nerd hybrid.) I stalked him from afar until he finally realized that I am awesome and we became a couple. That was September 7, 1998.

"Our song" was "God Must've Spent a Little More Time on You" by 'N Sync. It was 1998, and 'N Sync was the new hot boy band.

Our first dance was to All-4-One's "I Swear," which I had recorded off the radio onto my mixed-tape using my "sound system" (or rather, my glorified boombox). It was 1998, and there was no such thing as iTunes yet.

Because we were both too young to drive, we had to have our parents drive us to and from our dates. We sat in the backseat, with our hands next to each other on the middle seat so our pinkies touched. We were too nervous to actually hold hands. It was 1998, and we were just kids.

I took Eric to my homecoming dance that year, and I wore Titanic-inspired jewelry. It went really well with the Leonardo DiCaprio Titanic posters adorning my bedroom walls. It was 1998, and I had seen Titanic in the theater eight times. I am not ashamed.

On our dates, I wore crop tops and jean shorts.

The first movie we ever saw together was Ever After.

Neither of us had cell phones, nor would we get them for a couple of years yet.

Our entire beginning was just so 1998.

And I love it.

I love that so many of our memories are "dated." I love that those memories so clearly reflect how long it has been since we first met and began our relationship. I love that it is so easy to see how far we have come and how times have changed, just in the years since we met.

Since our beginning in 1998, life has happened. We dealt with the ups and downs of typical high school drama. We went through the college application process and celebrated graduations. There were proms and homecomings, some with each other and some with other people. There was college, where we struggled at first but ultimately ended up together and more in love than ever. There were deaths of grandparents and friends. There were family crises, including Eric's mother's stroke. We moved together to four different states. We both went to grad school. We got married and made beautiful memories of our wedding day to cherish. There was lots of travel and endlessly exciting new experiences, all of which we enjoyed together. We had the most beautiful baby girl in the world. We laughed, we cried, we struggled, we excelled. Through it all, we loved each other unwaveringly.

When Eric asked me to be his girlfriend 15 years ago today, I was very excited and couldn't wait to see what our relationship would be like. I don't know that I ever could have imagined it would be this great, 15 years later (so many years later, in fact, that the "hot new boy band" that provided our song has already broken up and reunited again). My 16-year-old self was so happy, but I didn't realize that it was only the beginning, only a drop in the bucket of happiness that I had ahead of me in my life with Eric. I had no way to comprehend the depth of the love we would share, through all that life threw at us, through thick and thin, till death do us part. I'm just glad that my 16-year-old self saw the potential one way or another and made the very good decision to say "yes" when that hot boy from the pool asked her to be his girlfriend (as if there was any other answer to give).

Thank you, Eric, for making that young girl's dreams come true and then some. And then lots, actually. I can't imagine a life without you in it and I am so lucky to have shared the last 15 years with you. I love you, always and forever.

Our first dance, summer 1998. Not pictured: my boombox playing All-4-One on that mixed tape.

Our Weekend and Eric's First Day

Before I resume with more outdated recaps, I wanted to just sum up our weekend and also update you on Eric's first day. Then we'll return to the task of making up for my blogging procrastination!

As you know, Eric and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary on Sunday. Despite not really having any big celebration planned, we managed to sort-of celebrate in five different ways over the course of the weekend, including multiple meaningful dinners, cards, and of course, champagne. Low-key? Yes, but a good time was had by all.

As I mentioned, my mom came up on Saturday to help out with Ellie for our busy/anniversary weekend. As soon as Ellie went down for her nap on Saturday, we left my mom in charge and Eric and I hit the town to run errands. We set off to stock up on all the school supplies we could possibly think he may need, as well as other errands. We also test drove a car, because we're looking into getting a (new) second car. (Related: anybody have tips/advice/recommendations for the car-buying process? We've been out of the car loop for quite some time, and have never bought new before, so words of wisdom are much appreciated!)

Basically, we spent all day running around like crazy people, but we were able to do so together sans baby, which made it a lot easier and almost date-like. It's all about finding romance in the everyday stuff, right?

After our errands we returned home to hang out with Ellie for a bit before putting her to bed, then we got ourselves ready and left once again, but this time for more of an actual date. We went to Nippers, a casual little seafood restaurant near the beach. We enjoyed a conch fritter appetizer, followed by jerk chicken macaroni and cheese and crab-stuffed grouper for dinner. It was great to be out and the food was delicious!

Anniversary dinner!

When we got back home we popped some champagne and went to work making posters and other decorative elements for Eric's classroom. We are wild and crazy people.

On Sunday (our actual anniversary), we spent the morning at Eric's school, trying to get his room as ready as possible. I'll save pictures of his full room for a later post, when the whole thing is more complete, but we did get a lot done and I was glad to be able to help. My mom kept an eye on Ellie while we worked, and then she left for home straight from there.

Top: Eric and Ellie at his desk, and me hard at work on the bulletin boards

Bottom: Ellie and my mom in the classroom, and Ellie out for a stroll in front of the school

We grabbed lunch on the way home, then relaxed while Ellie napped. After her nap we went back out on the town for more errands. When we got home, it was off to bed for the little one, then dinnertime for us. Eric cooked peas and macaroni, a staple of his childhood that he made for me during my recovery after Ellie's birth. I have told him that sitting on the couch with him and Ellie, eating peas and macaroni, in our first days at home is one of my favorite memories of our early family, so it was a bit romantic. We spent the rest of the night doing more that needed to be done before school starting, then relaxed with some wine and TV before heading off to bed.

As for Eric's first day of school yesterday, from the sound of things, it went very well! He was a little surprised at how quiet his first period class was, but hey, they're teenagers at 7:15 in the morning on the first day of school. I'd be sleeping, too. His later classes livened up a bit, reminding Eric that he will need to be diligent with time management to keep his students on task. His favorite class of the day was his last period Geometry Honors class, comprised of freshman who seemed so young, shy and unassuming. From what all he told me, it sounds like so far this year is shaping up to bring some challenges but also be a lot of fun, which is perfect - just what we were hoping for!

Six Years

Today Eric and I are celebrating our sixth wedding anniversary. We don't have much planned in the way of celebration this year; our weekend is largely spoken for with final prep for Eric before school officially starts tomorrow. But that's okay, because that's just what our life is right now. My mom came up for the weekend to help with Ellie, so last night Eric and I were able to take a break from our work to have a little time out of the house as a couple, which was wonderful. Tonight, we'll have dinner as a family and maybe watch our wedding video, but then it's off to bed for everybody's favorite new teacher!

Eric and I don't usually do much in the way of exchanging gifts, either, but I did get him a card this year that talks about how much I love him as both a husband and a father, and that is really where my heart is right now. We're in the middle of this huge transition and I keep thinking about how hard Eric has worked to find the balance between taking care of his own needs while still putting his family first.

To be honest, it took some convincing to get Eric to follow his heart and leave the practice of law. I know it was hard for him to turn his back on a career that took such good care of us financially. He worried quite a bit about how he would provide for his family in other careers, especially with the mountain of student loan debt a law career brings with it. I always appreciated his concern for these things, but at the same time, I knew he wasn't happy. And if he wasn't happy, how could the rest of us be happy? We're all in this thing together, and there are so many things a man can provide to his wife and children that are far more important than a big law-firm paycheck: primarily, his time. And that is what we all really wanted. Our time together as a family is precious and that's what we wanted to prioritize in life.

So, we decided to look at other options. I asked Eric to think about what he would like to do, and I told him that when he had an idea, we would work together to figure out how to make it happen. But not only did Eric come up with an idea, he also did all the figuring. When Eric decided to pursue Teach for America he worked tirelessly to figure out what to do about our loans, our insurance, our apartment, cars, etc. He made tons of phone calls, filed piles of paperwork, and did more research than I can even comprehend. He was pursuing his own interests, yes, but not without first making sure to cross every "t" and dot every "i" to ensure his family was taken care of.

When it came time to get things started this summer, Eric jumped into Institute and teaching whole-heartedly. He gave it his all and worked so hard. And when he finally had a moment of free time, much of it was spent visiting apartment after apartment to find the perfect home for us. Ultimately, I think he found us a great place and all his hard work really paid off.

Once things got underway, we were thrilled that Eric was asked to coach quarterbacks for the football team this year. But he still hesitated, because he didn't want that extra responsibility at work to take away from his time at home and his perceived responsibilities here. I assured him that Ellie and I would be fine, and that he should go for it. And so far, so good - he's enjoying coaching and our home is still running smoothly.

All of this - how Eric has conducted himself throughout this entire process - just speaks volumes to me about his character and the type of husband and father he is. He never, ever stops thinking about his family and what is best for all of us. He wants to be with us as much as he possibly can. He wants Ellie to have every opportunity in the world available to her. He wants us all to have a home and a family life we cherish.

And all of that is on top of the way he treats both Ellie and me in everyday life: his thoughtful actions, loving hugs and kisses, playtime with Ellie, helping around the house (often after a long day at work, without being asked, and without a word of complaint), deep conversations, constantly apparent love, concern, appreciation and gratitude for his family. Eric shows his devotion to us in both the big things and the little things, every single day.

Six years in to our marriage, I continue to thank God daily for giving me such a man to be my husband, a far greater man than I probably deserve. Marrying Eric was the best decision I have ever made, and the one I am most proud of. He is a better husband than I could have ever hoped for and a better father than I could have imagined. He is my most favorite.

Thank you, Eric, for another year of wedded bliss. Thank you for always putting us first, for your love and affection, and for making Ellie and me feel like the most special women in the world. We are so incredibly lucky to have you. God really must've spent a little more time on you.

Happy anniversary, my dear. Always and forever.

The day I married the love of my life: August 18, 2007

Five!

Hey, guess what? Today is my fifth blogiversary! I've been recording our lives here for half a decade now. Say what? I know. It's crazy.

I say it every year, but I really never thought it would last this long. When I started, we were in our first year of marriage, wrapping up our time in D.C. This blog has borne witness to Eric's law school graduation, our big move to the Big Apple, my grad school disappointment, lots of fun vacations (including our first trip to Europe!), all the unforgettable things we did in NYC (including all 465 celebrity sightings), two presidential elections, Toni's stroke, our move to Hoboken, the accomplishment of numerous bucket list items for both Eric and me, the birth (and first year) of our first baby, our plans for a major career/life change, our move back to Florida, and everything else in between. That, my friends, is one heck of a half-decade.

I'm not really sure what direction the blog will take from here. I certainly can't say I have any intention of shutting things down anytime soon, but our lives our changing and it's hard to predict how things will play out. I originally started this blog to document our move to New York City, something I had dreamed of doing for years. And what a time we had! I will forever treasure this written record of our life in the city.

Now, we've gone from newlyweds to a family, one that will hopefully continue to grow in the years to come. We're embarking on this new endeavor, completely changing our way of life and trying to figure out exactly what our new life will look like. My blog posts are less about red carpet events and big city adventures, and more about things like my baby's milestones and adjusting to Floridian life. I have a sneaking suspicion that those sorts of things are less intriguing to the outside world, and I realistically recognize this blog may taper off at some point, unless I'm willing to make the total jump to "mommy blogger" category. Or, have I already done that and just haven't accepted it yet? It's hard to say.

To be honest, I have always been shocked that anyone reads this stuff. Even you, family - I just think, "man, they must really love me." I mean, I talk a lot and I post far too many pictures. Everything is too wordy and nearly every time I hit "publish," I doubt that people will actually read what I have written. But you do. Even some people who don't actually know me in real life. That boggles my mind and is so humbling and so flattering. I have loved having the opportunity to share our life with you and to get to know so many of you through this medium. It has been a wonderful journey.

Aside from that, it has been such a great outlet for me. I have always liked the idea of keeping a diary or journal, and at times in my childhood, I was successful in doing so. Other times, not so much. I think the public nature of this type of journal is what keeps me accountable and has kept me writing for five years now, and I love that. Much of what I post is light-hearted life recaps, but I certainly try to mix in some reflective and personal things as well. In fact, I'm getting ready to post some of that next week, as I have been spending a lot of time lately reflecting on my first year of motherhood and I want to get my impressions down "on paper" (on screen?). It is so therapeutic and really just plain enjoyable for me to share what is happening my life here, and I thank you all for indulging me as I do so.

So for now, onward. I'll continue to blog as long as I still find it enjoyable, and if that's my criteria, as of now there is no end in sight.

Sincerest thanks to all of you for being a part of our lives these past five years, and for your comments and your support. I hope you'll continue to stick around!

Lucky Number Seven

Today marks seven years since Eric asked me to be his bride. I'm not known for being a particularly decisive person, but that was one decision I didn't have to hesitate about, even for a second. My answer was yes even years before he ever asked. It was the best (and easiest) decision I ever made.

It is fun to think about how far we've come since that chilly January night on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and then to realize that in the grand scheme of our life together, we're still only at the very beginning. This is only the tip of the iceberg, my friends. Even though our life is changing so dramatically right now, I know that I can handle any changes that come my way because of my one constant: my incredible husband. All we need in life is our family, and everything is good. It doesn't matter where we are or what we're doing, if we're together, we have all we need to live a happy, satisfied life.

I am one lucky girl.

Then and now...left: newly engaged in D.C., 2006; right: our happy family in NYC, 2012

14 Years of Together Bliss

I have mentioned many times before that Eric and I were high school sweethearts. Today, in fact, marks 14 years since we first officially became boyfriend and girlfriend. Oh, sure it wasn't really 14 years of consecutive togetherness - our college years brought some on and off times to break that up a bit. But 14 years ago today, Eric asked me a question and I gave an answer that would shape the rest of our lives. In the past 14 years, whether we were officially "together" or not, we were always friends, always talking, always loving each other. Even during the times when we weren't together, the reason for our split was always just that we felt too young to have found "the one" so soon and felt pressure to step back from one another and see what else was out there. But ultimately, we just couldn't stay away from each other. I guess when you know, you know. And deep down, I think we always knew.

At Eric's senior prom, 2001

I first saw Eric at the pool in the neighborhood where both our mothers lived, early in the summer of 1998. He was there alone while I was there with my sister Heather and my mom. We didn't speak to him, but boy, did I think he was cute. From that day on, he gave us a little something to look forward to during our times at our mom's house, and we were constantly on the lookout for that cute boy.

In time, we saw him around more and more and eventually he struck up a conversation with us. We talked about the fact that he liked the Yankees (gross) and other lighthearted things. We watched him play basketball and he walked my mother's dog with us. When Heather and I wanted to see Eric but were too chicken to go up to his house and ask him to "come out and play," we would bounce a basketball up and down the street past his house in the hopes that he would hear it and the sound of sports would lure him out. And hey, it worked!

I turned 16 years old that summer and so very much wanted that cute boy from the pool to come to my birthday party. My shyness kept me from inviting him, but Heather worked up her nerve and asked him on my behalf. And he came! And at the end of the night, he even hugged me before he left. I nearly died.

A photo from my 16th birthday party. Can't you just see me thinking, "OMG HE'S TOUCHING MY ARM, HE'S TOUCHING MY AAARRRRMMM!!!!")

From then on we started to hang out a bit more, just as friends - watching movies, playing pool, etc. One night he overheard me telling my friends that I hadn't been roller-skating in years and would love to go. When his sister then planned a skating outing with her friends, he remembered my comment and invited me along. It was the first time we really hung out together alone and I was so excited. I even remember exactly what I wore! And we had the best time. We skated and talked and laughed until our faces hurt. I had liked Eric all along, but I think that was when the feeling started to turn mutual.

The early days - dancing in my bedroom (yes, that is a Leonardo DiCaprio Titanic poster on my closet door. Oh, 1998!)

On Labor Day 1998, Eric joined my family at the beach. He and I walked along the sand and talked, getting to know each other better. Finally, he asked me The Question: "Will you go out with me?" My little 16-year-old heart nearly burst, I said yes, and we walked back along the beach hand-in-hand. I was excited to have just gotten a new boyfriend, but little did I know how my life had really changed.

Kids at the beach

Eric and I went to different schools, so we saw each other when we could and talked on the phone every night. I also wrote him letters and drew him pictures while I was at school, to give to him when I saw him next. When we were in Florida this past July, Eric's brother dropped off boxes of his stuff that he had been storing for us, and one of those boxes contained a folder of all those letters. Those are the letters that we read through on our wedding anniversary.

Many were lighthearted. I kept crayons, coloring books and markers in my backpack in school (super student!) and colored for him:

I drew these collages of pictures of things that reminded me of Eric and our relationship, like the theme from my homecoming dance and our rollerskating date

A page for Eric from my Peanuts coloring book!

Football stud hearts band nerd. The high school rom-com practically writes itself.

We also found brief notes written on Steak 'N Shake order pads, and lovely decorated station charts from our days as steakburger servers (I actually got my first job at Steak 'N Shake when I was 16 so I could afford to pay for Eric's ticket to my homecoming dance!):

That's my handwriting, so I know I made this station chart (and I gave myself a rockin' station). I very sweetly didn't stick Eric out in no-man's land (back right corner), but instead gave him the far more preferable "corral" section and easy bathroom sidework (the fact that I remember that "#3" corresponds to having to clean the bathrooms after all this time saddens me). I also clearly deocrated his station with lovely hearts and cupcakes. I was a sweet girlfriend like that, and not at all embarrassing.

Some were just short, sweet, and to the point.

"I love you!" 100 times. And the P.S. at the end: "Ha! No 'cut and paste' for me!"

Many of the letters, however, were more serious. Some were a bit sad, as we hit an occasional rough patch. But many were just filled to the brim with love and sweet thoughts. Common themes included how happy Eric makes me and dreams for us to someday have a house that is "our house," when neither of us has to go home. This letter, written on our seven-month "anniversary," was one of my favorites:

April 7, 1999 

Dear Eric Ryan, 

...In these seven months you've made me happier than I've ever been, happier than I ever could've imagined. I'd have to say that this relationship is the greatest thing I've ever experienced. I never realized it was possible to love someone so much, and it feels like every day, I love you more. I wake up in the morning and I see the homecoming picture by my bed and I start my day thinking about you, and how someday I'll start each day with you. Then I get home from school and you call and just hearing your voice makes me smile. When we hang up I'm thinking about when I'll get to see you. When I get to spend time with you, I always hope it will never end. 

I love you, and I love the relationship I have with you. I love the way you say things, the sound of your voice, your laugh, your smile, the way you shake your head, the way you put your finger on your mouth when you think! I love that I can talk to you about anything and everything. I love that you aways know how to make me feel better when I'm upset. I love having you in my life as both a best friend and a boyfriend...We're always in tune with each other and it's great. I love to remember what we've gone through and experienced so far. I love thinking about how great today is and how wonderful you make me feel. And I especially love thinking about the day when neither of us has to go home! 

...Thank you so much for the incredible seven months you've given me. I hope you won't mind a few (or hopefully MANY) more months with me! I love you with all my heart. 

All my love, always and forever,
Meghan Elizabeth

Reading through those letters was strange, embarrassing, and beautiful. We were just kids - what did we know about love? Did we really know we were meant to be, or was it just teenage puppy love that got lucky? I did all the usual teenage love stuff, like practicing writing my first name with his last name. Did I really know then that someday, that would be my name? In a way, it's surreal to read those letters and put myself back in the mindset of that 16-year-old girl, head over heels in love with the cute boy from the pool. Yet at the same time, it doesn't seem strange at all. I know how I felt then, and how I feel today. Of course we ended up married. Of course we're still so blissfully in love today, 14 years later. Of course his name is now mine. My 16-year-old self just knew it, and now I'm living my teenage dreams.

My homecoming dance, junior year of high school, 1998

(Also, this is the picture mentioned in the above letter)

I know that Eric and I are the exception and most teenage relationships don't end up where we are. I consider myself extremely blessed to have found my true love so early, and to have already had so many years to share with him. We grew up together and will eventually grow old together. We love each other more and more with each passing year and now have a beautiful family to show for it. I am so insanely lucky.

Happy 14th Anniversary to the best boyfriend ever.