There are places I remember

/ Meg

For someone who likes to keep a tight fist around her emotions, I can be pretty mushy.

Like, really mushy.

Too-embarrassing-to-put-on-the-Internet mushy.

But I guess that’s not a bad thing, right? I mean, I really love my husband. Which is a good thing, considering we’ve only been hitched for two months . . . and if the sheen had already worn off, that might be a little scary.

Last weekend I started going through old photo albums hunting for favorite photos of Spencer and me through the years — pictures that will be included in a montage for our wedding video. I’ve totally slacked on this task; though I vowed to get our videographer the needed materials soon after the wedding, I crashed hard in November and basically abandoned any remaining bridal tasks . . . save the all-important thank-you notes.


Megan

Spencer


But. It’s late January now and, well, I seriously had no excuses left. Plus we would like to get our video back eventually, and I’d already stalled things enough with my procrastination.

And I’m getting déjà vu for some reason. Perhaps because I’ve procrastinated on many tasks before?

Eh, maybe.

So yes, Sunday afternoon was the culmination of all my putting-things-off-post-wedding — and the process of finding pictures of us was actually really fun! My parents-in-law were kind enough to bring many pictures of Spence when they visited at Christmas, and I had so much fun finding shots of us from similar ages.

Watching Spence through the years — and seeing physical evidence of my own rise to eventual adulthood — was actually really emotional. I remember being 16, 17, 18 . . . and friends, it doesn’t feel so very long ago. It’s crazy yet somehow reassuring for me to think that as I nursed my first break-up, my first heartbreak, my whacky twenties . . . well, Spencer had been out there somewhere. Waiting to meet me.


Childhood

Middle school

HS graduation


I used to lament that we didn’t have “a story.” Meeting online means you never have that our-eyes-met-from-across-the-room moment, you know? There’s no crowded bar, no college psych class, no high school sweetheart mythology. We met because Spencer stumbled upon my online dating profile and sent me a message, and I responded.

But I never would have joined the dating site if Jess hadn’t encouraged me to. If my parents hadn’t weighed in with an enthusiastic “do it!” If I hadn’t recently seen my first love again — live and in the flesh — only to realize that what I needed, more than anything, was to move forward. If I hadn’t felt hopeful enough to try.

Spence and I probably wouldn’t have met if he hadn’t gone into a physics program in college, eventually meeting the man who would encourage him to apply for an internship in Maryland. If he hadn’t felt comfortable coming to Maryland. If he hadn’t gotten the job, or been able to leave New York, or wanted to join a dating site himself. If he’d had a girlfriend at home or been too broken up by a past that wouldn’t let him move forward, either.

So, well, we do have a story.

And in some ways, it was 24 years in the making.


Us

Engaged


19 thoughts on “There are places I remember”

  2. And that’s a gorgeous story, if you ask me! 🙂 When you’re in the midst of your life, wondering what comes next, it’s hard to see the “end goal” or the next step coming; but retroactively, it’s impressive (and a little scary!) to think how any little change could have made a lifetime of difference!
    The Man and I don’t have a “magical” story, either; we’d been friends for some years and then, over ten years ago, circumstances changed for both of us and there we were. It’s not something either of us expected, and yet it felt perfectly right. You never know what’s out there! 🙂

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  4. I love your story! And I think it is fun to play the what if game. All the little twists and turns in the world, all the little coincidences, that led the two of you to each other. Your pictures are adorable 🙂

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  5. Beautiful story and post…and quietly sentimental without being TOO mushy (which is a tough thing to pull off). Love the pics that tell your story too.

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  7. That’s a cute story 🙂 It’s only in the movies that people have the ‘our eyes met across the bar’ stories, in real life it’s more often like ‘we got drunk and made out’!

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  9. That is so sweet. Of course you have a story! That’s what love is about, I think… two people’s stories converging to become one, even better story. With a happy ending and everything! (Also, your growing-up pictures are really cute. I’m sure your montage will turn out to be lovely.)

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  10. I met my husband online too. For me, our story began the moment we met in person and it’s been going over since. I have a file on my computer that I fill of pictures of just us. The best part of a good story? Two great characters. You guys have that. The rest is just a matter of time. Lovely post doll!

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  13. You two are adorable, at every age. I often wished we had a better we got engaged story…so unromantic. I found the ring, we put it on layaway, and when he paid it off I was with him and we put it on my finger in the mall parking lot, so not special….but you know nearly 24 years married must be something.

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  15. What a sweet post! I remember Spencer every step of the way… And how fun to see your photos!!! I cannot wait to see the video. xo

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  16. I think that is a super sweet story! Nothing wrong with meeting over the internet. I’ve met some great friends through blogging, but still haven’t met them in real life, ha! Congratulations on your recent wedding. I crashed SUPER hard after my wedding. I wrote all of my thank you notes before I left on my honeymoon because I knew I would be too burnt out once we got back. I still need to get my dress cleaned, and it’s been over a year, oops!

    And! My husband and I just started a videography business! They incorporate a photo montage into your wedding video? How interesting. If the video gets posted online you must send me a link. I want to see how it turns out : )

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  19. Aww, this is so sweet! I’m not a very emotional person, but when it comes to my boyfriend and relationship.. I’m a crybaby! Reading entries like this makes me look forward to the day we start planning our wedding (hopefully soon, it’ll be 4 years next month). So beautiful 🙂

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