2 Years Ago Today

2 years ago today, I met Josh for the first time. It has been a wonderful and exciting ride that I am so happy everyday that I took. Sure, we have had our ups and downs, but the good times have far outnumbered the bad and now, 2 years in with our wedding behind us and our entire future ahead of us, I am more sure than ever that my life changed for the better on August 27, 2008.

People are often shocked to learn that Josh and I, until today, did not even known each other for 2 years and are already married. They ask why we moved so fast and how we knew it was right. The only answer I have is the same one I hated when I was single...we just knew. When Josh and I first met, we were older than many of our friends were when they met their spouses. We had also both had enough life experiences and relationships to know what we were looking for. On top of that, from the first time we ever spoke we were incredibly candid about our goals, life plans, and what we were looking for in a relationship. We knew right away that we were compatible on many levels. Add in the fact that we had a blast every time we were together, hated going long periods of time without talking or seeing each other, and had that feeling in our guts that this was just right, made it all very easy. Everything seemed to fall into place for us. But, I am the first to admit that it happened quickly and was intense from the beginning, but it worked for us.

I met Josh the old fashion way. After a bad breakup on my end, a friend of mine suggested that I meet her best friend's brother who just happened to live down the street from me. She told me all about him and we both decided he would be the perfect guy to go out with, test the dating waters with, and have a nice time with, but anything more serious was out of the question. Little did we know...

After a few emails back and forth, Josh invited me to go to dinner with him at Orinoco, a Venezuelan restaurant in Brookline. As cheesy as it sounds, it was the perfect first date. Because I was incredibly apprehensive about the entire set up (my break up was still new and it took a lot of convincing from my parents for me to even make it to dinner that night), I was 100% myself. I had nothing to lose and apparently everything to gain. Josh, who I like tease was the first date king at the time, decided to throw all caution to the wind and be completely himself as well. This led to the most down to earth, easy going, fun filled first date of all time. We closed the restaurant down and then spent another 30 minutes talking in the parking lot. It turns out I was skeptical for no reason. The night was perfect.

Things progressed quickly after that. It became clear that Josh was not a transitional guy but the real deal. We started dated seriously right away, met each other's friends and families and started planning our future. Before long Josh and I were engaged, and then married. It has been a whirlwind of an experience and I am so glad that I went along for the ride. In the last 2 years we have traveled, been to a million weddings and bar mitzvahs, sporting events, parties, quiet dinners, and movies. We have learned what the other likes to eat, watch on TV, read, and talk about. We have more fun doing random errands together than the average person, and our biggest arguments come from not being able to spend as much time together as we want to, not from a place of negativity or anger.

I know that I am lucky to have Josh as my partner. He supports me, cheers for me, cries with me, and does his best to make every day better. I try to do the same for him. Of course there are times when we get on each other's nerves, but there is no question that my life is better with him in it. Knowing that every day will be filled with laughter and dancing is exactly the way I had hoped my life would turn out. He truly is my perfect match.

While June 13th is our true anniversary, the day we committed to one another in front of our family, friends, and G-d, August 27th holds a special place in our hearts. It is the day that changed everything.

And so, to celebrate FINALLY knowing each other for 2 years, there will be a wonderful dinner at Orinoco, a drink or two, and most importantly, PARTY FAVORS VANILLA AND VANILLA CAKE!