This Day In History

Ten years ago today, I was standing in line to buy books on my very first day at college, and one of my brother's co-workers approached me (believing me to be someone else). We chatted a minute, and he asked me where I was working, and I laughed and said McDonalds. The boy standing behind the guy I was talking to lit up like a Christmas tree. For real. Turns out he worked at that very McDonalds, oh, and by the way, his name was Coach. Well not really - who would name their kid Coach? - but it was my Coach regardless of name.

Last week I was reading a blog about getting married and all the craziness of wedding planning, and I commented that I don't ever look back on my wedding day. This is true. The whole wedding thing is not a big deal in my mind. Sort of a means to an end. I wanted to be married to Coach so I planned a wedding, people came, people ate, and then I (blissfully) left with Coach.

Apparently, someone else on that blog is worried about my marriage because I don't think back on my wedding. I didn't bother to respond to their comment about my marriage, a marriage that they not only know nothing about but also don't know either party involved, mind you. Yet they worry. Perhaps we should pray for them; they worry too much.

Anyway, none of that was my point. My point is this, I wanted to be married to Coach, and I am. While I may never think back to our wedding, I often think back over the things we've been through together. I've mentioned once before that I consider it a privilege to go through life's ups and downs with the one I love, and I firmly believe that.

Today to celebrate the tenth anniversary of our meeting, I'm subjecting you to pictures of us through the years. Sit back, relax and watch us get fatter. Together.


Here we are at the Atlantic Ocean in Maine back in 2002, mere months after we got married. We walked on the beach, played mini-golf and went shopping. I had forgotten how quiet and relaxing a weekend away without kids is.

Coach at the Pacific Ocean in San Diego back in 2003. We took a cross country trip that started in Las Vegas, then to Los Angeles (where we found out we were pregnant for Bella) and then San Diego before driving home. I'm not in the picture because it would seem that the kind person that took our picture at the Atlantic Ocean was not available to make the trip with us.

Still driving across the country. Pit stop at Graceland. I had some serious morning sickness for the whole trip, but I remember totally loving Graceland. Elvis, Elvis, Elvis, what can I say? His house is full of tacky 70's crap and I loved every second of it.

Seriously, all the time we spend out in Western NY, and you though there wouldn't be any pictures of Niagara Falls? We rode the Maid of the Mist and we were like the only people on board which is why our pants are soaking wet. Pretty sure this is 2002. I failed to label it. Oops.
As a side note. I loved those jeans.

The city of Brotherly Love in 2003. Once more our kind stranger was not available to take photos of us together. I loved Philadelphia. It's fun to see all of the history you read about. I have this plan that in a few years after my kids have learned about early American history to take them to places like this to see the history they have read about. Coach is rolling his eyes now. He's not nearly as into learning as I am. I'm nerdy. It is what it is.

When Bella was 10 months old, we took a trip to Italy to visit Coach's Nonna and the rest of his family. They took us to Naples as a family. This is Coach and Bella inside a castle.
On this same trip, Coach and I went with his cousin and her friend to Rome and the Vatican. It was amazing. We got to see Roman ruins, ride the subway (which, it turns out, is a sketchy place) and see all the art work in the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel. We saw the coliseum from a distance but didn't get to go in. We had to get back to our little peanut.

Back to Italy in 2007. We took a trip up a mountain to a big name church. I'm going to be honest, I don't have any idea where we are in this picture. Also as sad as it is, most of the pictures that I have of me are like this: me taking my own picture. Maybe sometime in the next ten years Coach will learn how to use our camera, or how to fold a load of laundry. Probably not. :)

Of course this is this year at the NFL Hall of Fame with G.G. It would seem our kind stranger made this trip. In all fairness, I took a picture of our photographer and his friends first, so he owed me. At least it wasn't me taking a picture of the three of us. I can only take so many close-ups of myself. Actually I can't take close-ups of myself at all. It went against everything I had to post that one of Coach and me in Italy 2007. I shudder.
Guess what? The NFL Hall of Fame opened on September 7th, 1963. A mere 36 years before Coach and I met. Coincidence? I think not. More like fate.