Five

Excuse me a moment while I get awfully sentimental and post (embarrassing) pictures that no one really cares about.

Today is July 3, 2010. Obviously. Five years ago, I was enjoying the summer before my sophomore year of high school. I still wanted to be a fashion designer. I was in Sea Cadets, and on July 3, 2005, I was on a summer training on a ship. And on this training, I ate an elephant ear that was far too sugary, rode on an upside-down ride for the first time in my life, enjoyed some beautiful fireworks, decided that I loved hemp jewelry, and met a boy who could make me laugh like no other.

Sometimes I think I was incredibly stupid for even trying this and think life would have been a million times easier if we had simply hugged and said goodbye. Instead, this boy and I decided to give it a shot, even though I was from Detroit, Michigan, and he was from Charleston, South Carolina, which was worlds away from me.

I still remember everyone telling me to give it up, that he would cheat on me, that it would never last. Except, somehow, after talking on the phone night after night until 3 in the morning, after writing letter after letter, after catching flight after flight, we made it. To five years. And he still makes me laugh.

Five years ago, he looked like this.

And I looked something awful.

This little one hadn't been born. In fact, my mom wasn't even pregnant. Now, she's four years old.

I had never seen something so terrifying in my life. Now, I've seen plenty. And they still terrify me.

I had never been to Disney World.

And now I've been twice.

I had never been to the mountains, and now we're planning another trip.

I was still allowed to accompany him to the gate. Now, I can't get anywhere near the airport security line.

I had never been kissed.

But clearly, neither had he. Ha!

I had never seen the ocean.

Nor had I been on a sailboat.

Now I've been on countless. And he's bought and sold...too many to count.

I hadn't imagined that my perfect afternoon consisted of hanging out under ropelights listening to the crackle of Elvis's Blue Hawaii vinyl.

I had never heard of Mr. Will Hoge. Now we go anytime he's in town.

I didn't know that I would end up studying animation, with a plan to name my "company" after the cutest yellow bicycle I've ever seen, perfectly parked next to a yellow fire hydrant.

I would have never imagined having an almost-two-year-old posing with my on the day of my senior ball.

I had never pulled an all nighter. Now I've pulled far too many.

I can't begin to tell you all of the fun times we've had. Even if they are few and far between.

Even as simple as sitting outside on the swing and playing with Sylvester.

And taking little walks on the beach. No moonlight required.

One time, when walking, we were joined by this fellow, whose collar said his name was Scuppers. He walked with us up & down the beach, and we pretended he was ours.

This was from the first time I went to an art museum after being accepted to art school. He really wasn't that excited. But I make him act like it.

Sometimes, he thinks he's cute.

Sometimes, he wears my hoodie. That I bought from the little girls section.

Sometimes, he uses Tabatha and me as armrests. I owe her a big thank you. If it weren't for being overloaded with painkillers & having a spectacular best friend, I doubt I would have ever spoke to him.

Plus, she's really good at taking pictures.

We've gotten much better at taking pictures of ourselves over the years.

Our faces have also improved since this point.

Well, maybe.

We still go on hunts for another record to add to our collection since I first bought him that Doors album. Now we have them all.

In five years, he's gone through an acoustic guitar, an electric, and has moved onto a ukulele. Only after he bought me a pink one and was jealous.

He's always told me that he would break up with me if I ever died my hair. So I decided to test that. Didn't work. Haha

This is one of my favorite pictures of my two favorite people. Mia loves Nicholas. She thinks he's hilarious. One time, she told me he was her boyfriend. We had it out.

Anyway, I'm glad we were stupid enough to give this a shot. He sure makes me happy. Even though I make him mad a lot. I see him in twenty-seven days. I know it's kind of lame that we don't get to be together on our anniversary, but it's just a day. We've only ever been together for our first & third. And I really don't remember much of the first due to a head injury. Hahaha, it probably wasn't funny at the time, but now it's hilarious.

I love you, Nicholas. (To which you reply, "Ok.") Thanks for the smiles.