6 Years Ago

I didn’t realize Mel was going to post something today, I had been thinking about this one for awhile so here goes....

Six years ago today, Melissa and I had our first date.   Now most people wouldn’t characterize either of us as smooth and the end of our first date was a bit awkward.  When I got home my roommate Geoff asked me how things went.  I answered that I had a good time and hoped I would get a chance to see Melissa again.  But, I wasn’t sure if she felt the same.  I remember mentioning to Geoff that if she didn’t want to see me again, she had raised my expectations about the kind of woman I wanted to spend time with. So it was fair to say I was pretty taken with her from the start.   Happily, Mel called me the next day to set up our second date.  From there things were pretty awesome, our brief history has us at some point moving in together, getting engaged, getting married, moving into a new house, having our first kid, and then having a second kid.  Basically, from the night of our first date and for the next five years (and I think Mel would agree with this) life was pretty close to perfect. Not that we didn’t have some challenges and rough times to deal with, but on a whole, life was pretty sweet.  From my perspective I met this awesome woman who was the person I wanted to share my life with, I had a job that isn’t like work a lot of time, we have all our family close by, and we have a great network of friends while we live in an amazing community.  Honestly I couldn’t have asked for anything else.  

Now from that, to sitting in a doctor’s office and hearing that Mel has cancer last May things have changed quite a bit.  Honestly the sixth year has been far from perfect.  I really can’t express how all the anxiety, stress, and fears make me feel.  There have been some pretty shitty moments to deal with, but we have been getting through them.  And, despite all of that, we have had some amazing times in our sixth year together.  Some of the highlights for me were, Kristie and Jonny’s wedding, a trip to Nova Scotia, and getting to ride Mel’s lap of the Test of Humanity with her.  But, the best times of the last year were just spent together, watching Sophie and Liam grow up.  This morning we took them to the BMX track and watched them rip around on their run bikes and then this afternoon we sat together and watched them play in our backyard....that was pretty perfect.   

Fortunately we still have the family close by, the great friends, and the awesome community all giving us tremendous support.  Mel has been amazing through this whole process, and I am only speaking for myself, but without the support we have received I am pretty sure I would have cracked and failed, at doing what I have to do, to be there for my wife and kids.  Thank you!

Heading into our 7th year together I am grateful that Mel called to set up that second date, and I am looking forward to more good times together.

Thanks for reading,

Will