On June 9, 2006, my whole life changed. That night kicked off ten years of just plain awesome adventures. Ten years of waking up with a best friend, ten years of laughing our asses off, ten years of a whole-hearted love that is, at times, overwhelming in its awesomeness.

Not every day has been perfect. Indeed, that we are still enjoying a successful relationship is no small achievement. Foreign service life is hard on people, hard on friendships, and hardest on even the strongest marriages. Being a million miles away from support, having to navigate strange places and challenging new jobs, as well as that all to common directionless feeling that comes with the diplomatic spouse gig, all of it can kill a partnership. Throw in some difficult kids, some regular life events (death, money, etc), and you have the makings of a serious mess.

And of course it will get harder. Posts will be more challenging, kids will continue to find new ways to make things insane, and life will insist on being a mess. But ten years in, and I still know I picked the best person to spend this life with. No one makes me laugh harder, no one believes in me more, no one understands my nonsense better than A. He is my bestie, my soul mate, my other half, and the person who makes me want to slow things down so I can soak up every last second of life with him.

Happy First Date Anniversary, A. Ten years and counting of greatness. xx