A love letter to 10 years together

Exactly 10 years ago to the day, we had our first date at Coffee Culture in Whitby, Ont. I remember it so vividly. Sweden was playing Finland in Olympic hockey. You were so nervous and sat across from me in the booth. I could tell you weren’t sure what to expect from me, but there was something about you that told me you were different. We talked for about two hours before I kissed you. That’s right, I made the first move. But that kiss…that kiss was a complete game-changer.

I thought I had known what love, passion, safety…a soulmate…was like. You threw all that out the window. You actually became all those things.

It wasn’t long, like two weeks later, that we went on our first full-day date around Toronto followed by a Muse concert that evening. I kept punching you in the arm because I was afraid I’d say those three little words that could change everything, It had only been two weeks, but I knew how I felt. And, as I started to fall asleep on your shoulder on the train ride home, you whispered, “I love you.”

Not even three full months into our relationship, you proposed to me during a tickle fight. You said, “I have something to tell you…well, ask you.” I thought you were trying to get close to tickle me again (I hate being tickled). And then you asked, “Will you marry me?”

It was, and still is, one of the happiest moments in my life. I couldn’t blurt the word “YES!” quickly enough. The funny thing is, you later told me that you weren’t supposed to propose on a whim on May 5, but instead, you were trying to wait until later in the month when we were in Vancouver. But it was so perfect and I wouldn’t change a thing. The proposal was so you. So us. It’s one of my favourite stories to tell.

Fast-forward a few years, and we’re in Ireland for a big wedding ceremony. Family and friends from Canada, Ireland and Italy came to celebrate our love at Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links. It was a magical day and night, and having photos from that day throughout our home brings me back to that amazing time. Some of the funniest moments from that day that will always stay with me include hits like:

The violinists playing “God Save the Queen” instead of “All You Need Is Love” as we walked back up the aisle;
Losing the balloons at the beach that we wanted to use for photos;
Parastoo and I bursting out laughing during our photo session because we turned something into a sexual innuendo;
My dad yelling, “Where’s the music?” during the break in the song “Gangnam Style”;
You scream-singing “Livin’ on a prayer” to me on the dance floor; and
Falling asleep on the couch in the hotel suite after all was said and done because I was too drunk on wine to make it to the bed.

Since that day, you’ve supported me in my school as I became a PR practitioner, and I supported you as you built your mini-empire with all your side-hustles. We expanded our family to include our two fur babies, Agnes and Edith. We moved around and finally bought our own home. We travelled. You picked me up when I was down, and I hope I’ve done the same for you.

But, I would be lying if I said it was all easy. Our life together, as filled with happiness as it is, has also seen some of the darkest moments. But the power of our love, the conviction of our wanting to be together, and our determination to make this work has seen us through it all only to make use better, stronger, wiser and, I hope, more in love.

You are the love of my life and I can’t even begin to imagine my life without you. As we embark on the next 10 years, we’re talking about adoption, building our own empire, and growing together both emotionally and spiritually. I love you, Peter, and I can’t wait to see what our future holds. Happy 10 years!

xoxo