Happy anniversary

A year ago tomorrow, I married my bestest best friend and sweetest man to ever walk the face of the earth.

We met the first month of my first year of college. One night we were both just randomly hanging out in a random other person's room with a bunch of random other people. He happened to be sitting next to me, and we struck up a conversation about kids. I babysat alot, and he worked daycare, and we've both always enjoyed the company of children. We really didn't think much of each other at the time, since we both had crushes on other people!

A few months later, our college was having its winter formal. Having had a terrible prom, and thinking that wearing a slinky dress in February was pretty stupid, I decided that I would only go if I could find a guy who'd be willing to 1) be my date, 2) lend me his suit, and 3) wear my dress. Having gone through all of my guy friends, who just thought I was totally batty, I finally asked The (future) Husband, who happily agreed.



At the dance, I promptly ditched him to hang out with another guy (!), who looked eerily like me at the time.

Over that summer, we started keeping in touch. We'd write daily emails and weekly letters. He started each letter with "Beautiful Tanya," and signed each one with, "I love you." I still have them all in a big box.

Sometime over that summer, he became my best and closest friend.

We spent the entire fall of next year making people think we were dating, while we both steadfastly refused to acknowledge that. We'd meet each morning for breakfast, and he would walk me to class. We'd meet again for lunch and dinner, and spent alot of time talking, hanging out...cuddling...but STILL NOT DATING, DAMMIT.

Sometimes around Christmas, it finally dawned on us to give this dating thing a shot:



Shock of all shocks, I know.

About three years later, we went on a nice romantic picnic in Lincoln Park. He brought a whole watermelon and a large knife. He claims the knife was for the watermelon, but I really think he wanted some insurance ;) After we ate, we ambled around the zoo until we stopped at the penguin enclosure. I have a thing for penguins. I think they're the greatest. So he asked me if I wanted one. Of course, I said yes. He then handed me a stuffed beanie baby penguin holding a folded-up sign and a ring pinned to its wing. While I was trying to look at the ring (which was one of those cheapo clay things you get at Walgreens), I accidentally unfolded the sign, which read, "Marry me?"

I looked down at him, kneeling, with a beautiful diamond ring in his hand. He said, "Tanya, will you marry me?" And of course, I said yes, although I'm still not sure if I said yes to him or the penguin ;)

And so a year ago tomorrow, we were married:



Penguins were present:



Happy anniversary to the love of my life. I love you.