That I ran away and got married?  Best. Decision. Ever.

Seth had joined the Navy while we were still dating, and when he received his first orders to San Diego in January, we decided I would move out to join him in May.  We didn’t make it very long before deciding that I’d move at the end of February.  I told my family I would be moving to San Diego to live with my boyfriend and I imagine they thought I was nuts, but nonetheless and in true fashion of my parents, they supported me.

I resigned at my job, and started packing my belongings into boxes, trying to prioritize what we couldn’t live without starting our new life together.  Trying to determine what would fit in our only vehicle, a Jeep Wrangler that I would soon drive across the country with for several days alone, was comical.  For the record, not a lot fit, and thinking back to what I brought, my priorities have clearly changed.

I left my family and my life in Iowa, where I was born and raised on February 26, 2003, and drove all the way across the country to San Diego, by myself.  It was the dead of winter but fortunately I had my analog Nokia cell phone that had pretty much zero service.  That first day, I only made it ¾ of the way through Nebraska and for those that have ever driven through Nebraska, you can appreciate why.  I arrived safely three days later at 4pm on Friday February 28^th, with a huge smile on my face.

Saturday, March 1, 2003 at 9am, we were at the San Diego County Clerk’s office, saying our vows.  It cost us about $50, but because we were broke and what little money we had was going towards a security deposit for our new home, etc., we opted out of purchasing the $5 polaroid to document our day.  Hysterical.

Following our new marriage, we headed to the store for groceries where our first argument ensued-over wheat or white bread.  Again, priorities.

Reflecting back on the last 9+ years of our marriage, I don’t think we could be any luckier.  For everything we have gone through, four moves all over the US and the Caribbean, a type 1 diabetes diagnosis, job changes, etc. we clearly knew exactly what we were doing, at such a young age.

Here’s to walking through the next 9 years together with my best friend: