Happy Birthday to my best friend … {personal}

A year ago today, October 13th was just any ordinary day. I was boarding a plane from Ohio back to Florida, Jess and I had just finished shooting the most amazing wedding filled with so much love and happiness that I still smile just thinking about it. I remember clearly sitting on the plane looking out and enjoying some deep thoughts. I remember thinking to myself maybe I should get back out into that scary dating world, maybe nights watching netflix snuggling with Bear and Safin (my dog and cat) just weren’t enough. Let’s face it … dating is hard, its a time consuming roller coaster, and last year after a string of bad dates I had to get away from that world. In the beginning of the summer my friend Megan and I were playing tennis and she convinced me to try eHarmony (where she had met her boyfriend), she swore up and down it was the best site out there and if any of you know Megan then you know just how persistent she can beAnyways after coming back from the wedding I decided to give online dating one last try and logged into my long-forgotten profile. I noticed a cute guy had “sent me some questions” and sent a smile or a wink or a thumbs up (whatever it is you can do). So I wrote him back, within minutes he had responded again, on to the next step … and done, and then again within minutes “bing” on my phone. Now we had gotten to the “do you want to send an email” phase. If anyone out there has ever tried online dating you know how hard those first emails can be … seriously what do you say to start an email to someone you haven’t even met yet! A few emails back and forth and we began texting, I found out it was his Birthday (that day) and I encouraged him to go enjoy his day and he responded with something like “but I really like texting with you and can I call you”. Thinking back now of those first couple hours we began chatting it still makes me smile, a couple hours after chatting on the phone into the early morning hours we both said good bye for the night. This past year has been filled with incredible adventure, a move to a new town, endless laughs, and lots of love.

I often think back to a day where my dad and I had a conversation about relationships. He told me not to marry someone for money or looks or if they were the best kisser in the world because he said all of that will one day go. He told me to marry my best friend, because him and my mom were best friends for over 30 years. They did everything together and no matter what they did they always were laughing and having fun. I remember that too from my childhood … watching them play hours of tennis and then spend hours re-building the gazebo in the backyard. My dad’s been right about a lot of things in life and this advice is right up there.

I feel so incredibly happy and loved to have found my best friend, someone who is always up for an adventure (big or small), someone to laugh with, to be completely myself with, and someone who appreciates me (even when I’m hangry). I love our life together with our crazy awesome dogs and our bossy snuggly zafin cat. Tyler, you have filled my heart with so much love and happiness that I wake up every morning with a smile on my face feeling lucky to have met you have and have you in my life. I cannot wait to be your wife (soon) and for all of life’s adventures we will take on together. A year ago today I woke up thinking October 13th was just going to be an ordinary day, I had no idea how much it would change my life forever. Happy Birthday my love and happy 365 days of fun!