10 years in the making

If you don't know our story you might be surprised how long it is.

Gordon and I met the first week of May in 2000. We were both asked to be camp counselors for a week long 6th grade outdoor education program at Camp Edwards. I thought he was a little strange when we first met. I don't think we even started talking until the 2nd day of the trip. We chit chatted about school(we went to different HSs), sports, music, movies and the fact that he had a girl friend.....Gordon says that I was flirting with him. Maybe I was. When camp was over I gave Gordon my number and I gave him a ride home. Over the next few weeks we started to get to know each other and become friends. By the end of May Gordon was my boyfriend and I was graduating from high school.

Our first year together was good but hard. Shortly after graduation I went to Germany for 6 weeks as part of an exchange program. A few weeks after getting back I left for college. I was in Rhode Island and Gordon was 900 miles away back home still in high school. I flew home for homecoming, he flew out for my birthday, I went home for our first Christmas together, and again for his prom.

Eventually we lived near each other. I worked while he finished up college. My job transferred me to Austin, TX. Once again we were apart. But it was good this time. We both needed to grow up and needed some change in our lives and in our relationship. Jobs changed and I found my self back in Chicago and back to doing what I loved most, cooking.

After we were both done with college and in jobs that we had really worked hard for we moved in together. This was the best. We got to go home to each other every day. You realize how much you love someone when you walk in the door and the first thing he does is kiss you and tell you he missed you while you were at work.

We were living together for a couple years when Gordon was offered a job in Philadelphia. I told him I would go where he goes. I didn't want to do a long distance relationship again. So we made the big move. We have been in Philadelphia for 2 years now. The move really made us closer than ever. We both were alone here, no family, no friends, just each other.

I wouldn't want to imagine my life with out him. We've been through so much over the last 9 1/2 years. I know it sounds cheesy, but I love him so much that I miss him even when he's in another room. We will celebrate our 10th anniversary 3 months before our wedding. I am excited to know he is the one for me and I am the one for him. I really, truly feel that our love and our lives together are going to last until our final days. We were made for each other.