On this day, 10 years ago, I met my husband in Memphis Airport.  It was our first face to face meeting.  Two months later, I would move to Oregon and move in with him.  Five years later we would marry.  Eight years later we would be blessed with Avacakes.

Darin and I met online.  I purchased my first computer back in the late spring of 1999.  The internet was a new and scary place for me, but I was fascinated by it all the same.  The first few weeks I had my new pc I would stay up half the night surfing websites, playing games and exploring.

I don’t remember how I stumbled upon an email group for Emeril Lagasse.  I was a big fan of the show back then, so I joined it.  I think when it started it was E-groups.  Or Yahoo.  Can’t remember.  But I joined and found a really great and fun group of people.  They would be quite the lifeline for me as I dealt with some life issues, including a divorce.  Darin was one of the few with whom I connected. We had tons of conversations via e-mail and ICQ.  For the under 30 crowd, go look up ICQ.    At some point I realized I was having feelings for this person.  We had progressed to phone calls and spent hundreds each month on phone bills.  But how did I say I love you? Via chat on ICQ.  Yeah. I’m surprised he didn’t run the other direction, too.  But as it turns out, he felt the same way.  So we made plans to meet.

As the day of his arrival grew closer, he was nervous.  I for some odd reason was not.  I felt good about meeting him.  It felt right.  Still, being the shy person I am, I drug my mother to the airport with me to meet his plane.  This was back before 9/11 and you could still meet someone at their gate. His plane pulled up to the gate and people began filing through the door. I was straining my neck looking for him.  And suddenly I saw him.  And promptly hid behind a sign.  All of a sudden I had an attack of nerves.  ZOMG, what if he changes his mind after seeing me in person.  But I needn’t have worried.  He was delighted, and drew me in for a warm embrace.

We spent 3 wonderful days together.  It felt like I’d known him my whole life.  I’ve never before met somebody around whom I was instantly comfortable.  But with Darin I was at ease.  I could be myself.  I didn’t worry if there was a lull in conversation.  It didn’t feel uneasy.   The day he got back on the plane to leave was one of the worst of my life.  I knew then, there was no going back.  He had my heart.

Two months later I visited for Christmas.  And never left.  I will never forget the day I told him that I could stay permanently.  He picked me up off of the ground in a bear hug.  The grin on his face was bested only by the one he wore the day Ava was born.

We’ve had our ups and downs.  There have been years that seemed mostly down.  But I wouldn’t trade any of it, because it is part of our story, our history.  It is uniquely ours.  Everyday I look forward to seeing him at the end of the workday.  Every morning I still wake up happy knowing I have him in  my life.  He is my partner, in every sense of the word.  He is an amazing father.  He is my best friend, my true love.  He is home.

Happy 10 years, honey.  You’ve made them wonderful.  I cannot wait to see what the next 10 has in store for us.