To have and to hold....

Tonight, Gordon and I worked on our vows. We are going to have a non demoninational ceremony and a friend's husband is going to marry us. He is a pastor and regardless of our church status he has faith in our love for each other. We are eternally grateful for his kindness and willingness to see over our union and put his trust and belief in our marriage.

Gordon and I have written our vows so that we repeat the same thing to each other. They are dear and personal words that I think we will hold to our hearts for the rest of our lives. Its so hard to put into words how much you care for someone or how they make you feel. Right now we are 900 miles appart, Gordon in Philadelphia and I in Chicago. I came home a few days sooner than Gordon to try and finish up all the little things that needed to be taken care of. This distance made it especally hard to write our vows, because it brought up all the memories of a long distance relationship we once had. Ten years later everything has come full circle and we find ourselves apart making decisions that will last us the rest of our lives.

I know that I am lucky to have spent so many great years with someone that loves me and that I love so dear. I cannot wait to spend the rest of my years with this same person because I know in my heart that our love and friendship will grow as we continue to age together.

Lots of things happen in 10 years

There are all kinds of things that have happened in the last 10 years. For example:

• 2001 a man paid $19million to become the first space tourist and board the International Space Station
• Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France 6 years in a row
• Al Gore won an Oscar
• Our country unites as we watch it fall apart from terrorist attacks and natural disasters
• Britney Spears shaved her head
• Carrie and Big finally get married
• Girl pop singers go from innocent, nice girls next door to girls that kiss girls (and like it)
• iPod. iPhone. iPad.
  

One of the greatest things that has happened in the last 10 years is my life with Gordon. Today marks our 10th anniversary of being together. When I met Gordon I knew he was something special. After a few months of spending all my free time with him I had hoped that he was the one that I would be with forever. Through all the ups and downs and miles apart Gordon is the one person I want to go home to every day. Wrapped in his arms is where I have always felt safe, happy, and at home. He makes me smile, he makes me laugh, and he always seems to make me cry when he gives me a card. I love him more now than I ever have, and I can only hope that our love will continue to grow as our family does and as we age together.

He is the best. He is my favorite. He is all mine.

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.