Half Life

November 10 is our dating anniversary. Maybe it's silly to celebrate a dating anniversary when you have a marriage anniversary, but it's something you celebrate when you are high school sweethearts and I didn't see any reason to take away a celebration just because we were adding one.

On November 10, 2001, Jim and I went on our first date.  Taco John's and a hike.  Jim's taco had a bug in it.  It was beautiful fall colors but we walked in awkward first date silence.

Before then, however, I liked him as the "boy from church" and he eventually started liking me back.  The time frame on crushes is pretty blurry, however, and does not have an official date.  If it did, you could be guaranteed I would be celebrating that, also.

I have been exclusively Jim's "girl" for half of my life.  After November 10 I will have been with Jim longer than I have been without him.

Jim and Gail when we were in high school.

I was 14 on that first date, 14 years ago.  Think about that.  Our relationship is as old as a freshman in high school.  Somewhere out there, there is a teenager who grew from a baby to a toddler to the moody person they are today while Jim and I have been learning to become one.  

Busting a move in the hallway before prom.

A youth retreat while we were dating.

Our wedding day, if you didn't guess.

Jim and I soon after our marriage.

I grew up dating Jim, so I learned how to be his wife right along with algebra and history classes.  Not to say I didn't learn plenty more after we were married or as we have changed through the years.  If you would have told me that my graphing calculator toting boyfriend of high school would be known for his long distance cycling in our late 20's I wouldn't have believed it.  I would have been in even more disbelief if you had told me I would be running 6 days a week and all about fitness.

On a date.

When Jim took me on my dream vacation!

Top of Harney Peak.

At the Salt Lake City Zoo.

In any case, half of my life has been devoted to that blue-eyed fella' who still makes me smile when he walks in a room.  He's been my best friend and confidant since my freshman year of high school.  These past couple of years have been hard with infertility stuff and adoption process stress, but our relationship has never been in question.  We're in it for the long hall and we're pretty excited to see what the next 14, 24, 34, maybe even 50 years have in store (hoping we live that long!).

At Gail's wedding-- the bride actually took this picture.