Weddingbee Blog

Mr. Potato Head is my bestie. He makes me laugh, he built a bar in our living room and labored over constructing shelves for my many books in our office. He cooks us pancakes on Sunday mornings and leaves fresh brewed coffee for me on the weekdays. He lets me cheat at mini-golf but doesn’t let me give up at the important stuff. He encouraged me to run my first half-marathon and was literally with me every (slow, painful) step of the way. Later, when I ran a full marathon, he was there at the finish line, cheering me on. I love that we shared the bulk of our twenties together and will enter the next decade as a team. By then, we’ll have been together for seven and a half years!

How did we meet? Potato Head’s brother was engaged (is now married) to SistahChip’s best friend (got that?). Let’s take the WayBack Machine to 2002. Our siblings conspired to get us together one night, watching us like hawks after a group outing to dinner and a walk along a Rhode Island beach. But we were shy and nothing came of it. Months later on New Year’s Eve I attended a party at Brother Potato’s house. The ball fell, we danced. We kissed. It was 2003.

He called me the next day and we met up for Indian food and Lord of the Rings. The next week we duked it out at Dave ‘n’ Buster’s arcade, won a plastic airplane and sent it soaring from the roof of a parking garage. We talked on the phone all week. I said to my friends, “Wow, I’ve met a great guy!”

Two weeks after we met, he called and broke the news that his Marine Corps unit was being deployed to New Carolina.

Sadness was followed by a frustrated, dismayed, that’s that. We’d only been on two dates after all. I went to his goodbye party and something weird happened. He told me he was falling for me and I admitted the same. We decided to stay together!

I cannot emphasize how out of character this was for me, for both of us. We were not relationship people! Our friends thought we were crazy, impetuous, foolhardy. We were. But it was kinda awesome. It felt right.

We spent the first six months visiting each other back and forth. I’d stay at the inn on his base or we’d road trip down to Myrtle Beach. It was gooey and romantic and head-rush-y. Some of the sweetest memories. The months flew by and we thought, ‘no problem!’

And then we found out his unit was being deployed for the next six months. To Okinawa, Japan.

For the rest of his time away we corresponded by letters, cards, care packages, and as many phone calls as we could. It was very old-world! No texting; we didn’t even email. Just writing (real writing, on paper) and, when we could, talking. Always we counted down the days until he came home and we could be a “normal” couple.

I sorta love that we started our relationship this way, that we eased into couple-dom and got to know each other through our words, our actions. Trust was never an issue; we were dedicated, decisive. Happy.

We had a happy reunion when he came back. Six months after that we moved in together. And whereas, in the beginning we were that crazy, rash, impetuous couple, we gradually became that old (non)married couple, the ones who finish each others’ sentences and fall asleep on our couch on Saturday nights.

We’d always talked marriage—since the beginning—but it never seemed like the right time. First Potato Head was establishing his business and returning to school. Then I quit my full-time job to go back to school. It was always something. Friends around us found partners, dated for an appropriate amount of time, got married, settled down, and we remained content in our domestic partnership.

We were forever asked “When will you guys get married??” We always laughed, “When we can afford it!”

But little did I know, Potato Head has sneaky plans up his sleeve! Next up: the proposal.

Back in 2004. I think this is the first digital photo we have of us. We look like babies!

2005: My 25th bday!

Should I have cued up “Through the Years”? This was in 2006, I believe.

Thank you time-stamp: 2007

Our friend’s rockin’ photo-booth in 2008!

And a 2009 photo:

What’s your story? Did you date for years and years? Fall in love at first sight? Let’s hear ‘em!