8 Years ~ A Lifetime Ago

Eight years ago last night I first (officially) met the man I would marry, Mr. James Tyler. 🙂

 

 

The story itself was one for the books (you can read it in all its crazy rom-com hilarity here, if you’re curious), but what was even better was all that came after.

It’s funny – because when you first meet – you think that was the best time of all. The butterflies. The excitement. The uncertainty. The newness. But in reality – all that follows is what is best. The comfort. The knowing. The certainty. The safety of home.

If you had told me eight years ago all that was to come when I first saw that overconfident guy across the bar gesturing for me to come talk to him – I never would have believed you.

I never would have believed that we would fall hard and fast in love, when neither of us were ready for a new relationship.

I never would have believed that someone who didn’t fit any of the criteria on my crazy check-list would be it for me.

I never would have believed that I would learn the meaning of happy tears thanks to this man.

I never would have believed that within a month of meeting I would be telling my sister that something about him was different, and that he might just be the “one.” …That we would be talking marriage within months of first meeting, and engaged a year later.

I never would have believed that his belief in me and unwavering support would help me to grow in ways I never imagined. That the woman I am now would be almost unrecognizable to the woman I was when I first met him.

I never would have believed that three years after meeting we would go into business together, and a year later we would be working full-time together chasing down this crazy, crazy dream.

I never would have believed that these two people, who grew up modestly and didn’t have the opportunity to travel, would be seeing so many new places together… traveling the country and world as part of running a business that we love.

I never would have believed that we would have trouble getting pregnant. That years and years of trying would ultimately come to us facing infertility and the struggle we’ve been through recently.

I especially never would have believed that this struggle would be so good for our marriage. That it would bring us closer than ever before, and more grateful for our blessings with each day that passed. That I would actually be THANKFUL for these trials because they have shown us that we are stronger together… helped us to have conversations we may not have otherwise had… and given us time to grow as a couple and cherish time as just the two of us.

Eight years feels like a lifetime ago, but in the best kind of way. I cannot remember my life without James and cannot imagine who I would be today had I never met him. A chance meeting arranged by a mutual friend at a dive bar in the city and our lives were forever altered from that day on… and I am so, so grateful.

Here’s to many, many more. xoxo

 

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(*Follow #ctpfertilityjourney on Instagram to keep up with our latest adventure on a regular basis.)