As of August 16th, 2010, Dan and I will have been together for ten years. Holy crap that sounds like a long time. But then again, it is, especially in this day and age with people so quick to get together, have sex, split up, or have sex without ever getting together, or having sex even after splitting up. I’m proud of our relationship, our marriage, our accomplishments and how far we’ve come. We defied expectations, became the exception rather than the rule, and along the way successfully squashed the thoughts that we wouldn’t make it, simply because of age, circumstances, statistics, etc.
Here’s a summarized timeline of our relationship:
Mid-July 2000 – Dan and I initially met at Burger King, when I was sixteen and he was eighteen. We introduced ourselves to each other, and would often say hi or converse briefly, since we often worked together at the same station, or at adjoining stations (example: I’d work specialty, which consisted of all of the chicken, fish and side products; and Dan would work the fryers, which meant we’d communicate often because he would need to fry up chicken, fish and side products for me).
August 16th, 2000 – We went on our first date together. This was exactly one month after I broke up with my ex. I never considered my liking Dan or our first date to be a “rebound”, since I was the breaker-upper, not the breakee.
August 23rd, 2000 – Dan left for his first year at college, which was 250 miles away.
August 2000 – August 2002 – Dan and I saw each other for a few days every few months, a week in November, a week in January, two weeks in March and then all summer.
August 2001 – Dan proposed. I accepted, obviously (my engagement ring). I was seventeen years old.
August 2002 – I moved with Dan to Pittsburgh, where we lived in a small efficiency apartment for sixteen months.
December 2003 – Due to financial issues, Dan and I moved back home to our families. I took what I could and stored it in my old bedroom, but most of our stuff and all of the furniture was put into a spare room at Dan’s parents’ house.
January 2004 – I got pregnant with Alyssa (but wouldn’t figure it out until March). I was nineteen years old, and Dan was a few months shy of turning twenty-two.
August 2004 – After a few months of working and putting aside money, we found and moved into a small rented house.
October 2004 – Alyssa was born. We also got married on October 1st, because I was adamant about being married before Alyssa was born.
July 2005 – Our paid-for car was totaled in a car accident, so guess who got their very first new car and car loan?
November 2005 – Ryan was conceived. He was planned, though Dan calls it a “planned accident”, heh.
December 2005 – we purchased Dan’s brother’s car from him, since he wanted something new. So now we each had a car!
July 2006 – Ryan was born. We also moved into a 3-bedroom house right around the time he was born (literally).
January 2007 – We were evicted from our 3-bedroom house due to personal issues with the landlords (who are still cocksmacks, but that’s a story for another day). We found a small 3-bedroom house, secured a mortgage, and moved in March.
And that brings us to now, 2010. We’ve been together for nine and a half years, married for the last five and a quarter, we have a beautiful five year old daughter, a handsome three and a half year old son, a house that we have made into our home, and a love for one another that has only gotten stronger and deeper as the years have passed. I love you Daniel, and I can’t wait until we can celebrate being together for ten years! ♥
Jenn I loved reading this post. its so cool that you can go back and see you guys progress
What an awesome story!
Very Early Congratulations!
Congrats on the up coming anniversary! You two make such a great couple!
Congrats!! That’s amazing! Me and Martin have just hit 6 years and it amazes me that we’re half way to a decade together!
Also, can I say… I’m amazed you’ve had jenn.nu for that long? That’s amazing. I have a hard time sticking to names! No wonder you’re a genius at wordpress, you’ve been with it for so long!
I am so happy for you it makes me sick. j/k but really I am very a happy for you because most couples can’t make it 10 months, let a lone 10 years, 2 kids and a house. So, I wish you luck on another 10 years and many, many more!
I am having been reading your blog since before you had Alyssa. I think since you and Dan first got together. Which is crazy. We have been blogging for soooo long. lol :D
It’s amazing to read through your 10 years and realize that I have been reading along with you since you gave birth to Alyssa. The fact that you can link to a lot of your milestones says a lot about what a dedicated blogger you are! Happy upcoming 10 years Jenn & Dan. Wishing you 10+ more!
So sweet! I love reading love stories that work out and remind me of my very own! To think it all started at Burger King!!!
Congratulations !
It’s remarkable to re-read your entry about your discovery of your pregnancy with Alyssa because I remember reading it when you first posted! I was nearly fifteen then. :-P More remarkable still because you SOUND younger. I mean, the way you blogged then sounds like someone around my age now (which makes sense because you were)…but very interesting on a sociological level because it means we do show our age through writing and you can definitely see how you’ve matured through your blogging.
It was also quite poignant for me to re-read because I became pregnant this past September, when I was still nineteen. Unfortunately, I miscarried at six weeks. So, it definitely puts those entries into new perspective but…yeah.
Anyhoo, just wanted to say that old entries? Definitely demonstrate growth!
Oh, wow, congratulations! It’s so heartwarming to see that in this day and age it’s still possible for love to shine through. I wish many more happy years for you and your family!
Wow congrats!
This is probably my fav decade post yet!
wow, that’s awesome
I love hearing happy ending stories of people who met young, because well, there just aren’t too many of them. I think it’s hard because people change a lot between when they’re teenagers and young adults and often their interests and goals don’t align anymore after some time.
that is amazing Jenn!! Congrats to both of you!