Falling in love



Our first dance

 Do you remember falling in love?

I mean real love, forever love.

I do.

Vividly.

The first time I laid eyes on Elliott he was making a presentation about marketing to my MBA class.

I fell in love - hard.

He was dressed in nice slacks and a tucked in, button-down shirt (in a class where most kids were unkempt, showing up in jeans or better yet sweat pants). I don't know what he was talking about. He was just cute, put-together and could speak to a group of 100 kids - something that at that time I could never fathom without stuttering, sweating, and shaking palms.

 

He was confident. He knew what he was talking about. He had real plans to go somewhere and be someone. From that five minute talk he gave to us, I could tell Elliott had drive and ambition. And I admire(d) that.

 

Ell with his two ladies, Jenn and Susan



In MBA school, it's all about networking. We had "Thursday Night Outs" or TNO. That's where our friendship evolved over a pint (or two) of beer at pizza shops and McMenamin's in Salem.



Then I tried to set him up with Susan, who would later become my maid of honor, because I actually had a long-distance boyfriend at the time and I wanted Elliott off the market. He was too much of a temptation. Susan fortunately had other plans.

 

Then, on our first date Ell picked me up in the worst clunker of a car (if you could call it that). It was a 1984 (almost 20 years old, folks) Honda Accord and you had to step on the brakes at the same time with your foot on the gas so that the lights would stay on at night. I think the car cost him all of $400.



I still knew he was soulmate, despite the ugly brown car whose windows didn't work.



One of those MBA parties



I remember during school that I would coordinate the need to visit my locker for books at the same time he would be there to get his books. I remember sitting at our first Oregon Ducks football game, not in the stadium seats, but in the beer tent talking throughout the entire game. And no, I don't remember who the Ducks played.



A couple days after the Ducks game it was official. We were "dating." I remember telling my girlfriends on one of our long distance runs through Minto Brown park in Salem.

Two weeks after meeting, I persuaded him to come to my sister's wedding in Malibu where he would meet every single member of my family. He said yes.



Two months later, we planned a trip to Eastern Europe and backpacked for two weeks over New Years, spending the best New Years of my life on the Charles Bridge in Czech Republic with a $2 bottle of champagne, plastic cups, and several friends from our B-school.



Fun in Holland



The next summer, I complained and complained that I was ready to get married, and he finally proposed in fall 2005.

We were married in fall 2006.

Of course, I was ready for kids immediately!

Along came Maddi.



With Maddi

Then Lizzie.

With Lizzie



So what does our love mean to me?

Acceptance. Sacrifice. Passion.

We accept each other for our strengths and weaknesses. I tend to react quickly while Elliott absorbs things and thoroughly reflects (good qualities for a soon-to-be lawyer).

I sacrificed the last four years without his company so that he could pursue a dream to become an attorney. He sacrifices every day time with me and his children so that he can be the best father, husband and provider for his family.

We are passionate about each other but even more so about life together and our children. Sure that passion gets us in trouble. We care so much about so many things. That's where acceptance comes back in the picture. It's no walk in the park. Sharing your life with someone so special comes with all these things. The rewards of being together are awesome.

We've traveled to beautiful places together, celebrated holidays, felt pain and joy. Together we are there for each other, no matter what.