7 Years!

Yesterday marked the 7-year anniversary of our first date.

It is hard to believe that Meredith and I have been together that long.

But looking back, we’ve been through a great deal together in that time, both personally and professionally –
We got married; Meredith switched careers and wrote a book; my company moved into fields that were totally unanticipated (and lots more fun); we had a wonderful baby; and we moved across the country, to beautiful (frigid) Vermont. I feel like I’ve led a charmed life this past 7 years.

This morning when driving alone after dropping Reed off at day care, I did something exceptionally pin-headed. The mountain road that I usually take to get home looked clear, and I was driving above the speed limit, and not paying much attention to what I was doing.

As I crested the hill and started to descend, I realized that the road was actually not clear, and that there was instead blowing snow and black ice beneath.

Picking up speed with no way to slow down I was at the completely at the mercy of physics to get me through in one piece.

For those few brief seconds, all I could think about was Meredith. At first I could hear her voice in my head (”Idiot! I can’t believe you’re going to die this way!) And then I thought how sad i’d be to leave her behind. And how much i’d miss her.

Fortunately, as I made it to the bottom of the hill and up the other side, I was able to get control of the car with only minor tail-wagging. Crisis averted, and lesson learned.

But the incident this morning just reinforced in my own mind that Meredith is truly the most important person in my life, and I love her to bits. I couldn’t imagine what life would be like without her there.

Happy Anniversary, hon.