10 years ago tomorrow I was sitting on a patio at a local bar, having an afterwork drink with my best friend. I was not dressed to go out, I had on some ratty overalls, little makeup and my hair was pulled back in a baseball hat. 10 years ago tomorrow my best friend (who is not shy at all) started talking to these two guys who happened to walk by, one of whom was in a walking cast. They sat down, and within 5 minutes the guy in the walking cast and I discovered that we had something major in common; a deep and abiding love for books - and a particular passion for Harry Potter. 10 years ago tomorrow we began an intense discussion of the Harry Potter world, J.K. Rowling, and our incredible anticipation for the next books. 10 years ago tomorrow we both knew, almost instantly, that this was it. The Big One, the one we'd both read about in so many books but weren't entirely sure was nonfiction.
Over the past 10 years, we've shared so much; 2 beautiful girls, a mortgage, the deaths of loved ones, boating, boardgames, Gin Rummy, camping, trivia games, music, Bears games, inside jokes and many, many other things. We've found other books that we've loved, but none will compare in our hearts to every single Harry Potter book. The books that we stayed awake until the wee hours of the morning reading together, as fast as we could to get to the end. Then rereading them multiple times over the years, and still feeling the magic just like we did the first time. The HP movies that we've shared - debating them and picking them apart and arguing over them for days. (He likes them, I typically don't)
Today, we came full circle. 9 years and 364 days from the day that we met, from the day that we almost instantaneously fell in love, from the day that we began to build our foundation on - of all things - Harry Potter, we went to the theater to see the final movie. We both sobbed our hearts out; the storyline, the characters - it's all so familiar to us. Their stories are all a part of our story. But even more than that, as silly as this may sound, I don't think we'd be where we are today without those books. So I say thank you, J.K. Rowling, for creating such a rich and imaginative world that we both fell completely in love with. I say thank you to the film producers, who I frequently disagree with, but who I do believe did their best. Mostly I say thank you Bradley - for being my very best friend, for sharing your life with me, for giving me 2 amazing girls and a beautiful home, for being the truly amazing man that you are. These have been the best 10 years of my life, and I can't wait to see what's next.
Oh, and? We both loved the movie.
so much love! happy anniversary sweethearts!!
Posted by: sasha farina | July 26, 2011 at 06:23 PM
totally made me CRY! happy 10 years!
And I haven't even read ONE single HP book, totally NOT into it at all, but your story is AMAZING!
tara
Posted by: tara pakosta | July 26, 2011 at 06:34 PM
awww i'm just about crying!! this is so sweet!! what a wonderful and fun love story =)) happy anniversary
xo
Posted by: C. Rayevich | July 26, 2011 at 06:44 PM
can i super duper alley-ooper like this?! ;o) happy lovey-dovey anniversary!!
Posted by: micheleomega | July 26, 2011 at 06:58 PM
Happy Anniversary! LOVE your story of how you met! What a wonderful match!
Posted by: Cindy Johnston | July 26, 2011 at 07:16 PM
congrats, jen - what an amazing story. :)
Posted by: melanie bauer | July 26, 2011 at 07:21 PM
Just the sweetest story...thank you for sharing your journey together so far.I love real life love stories! :)
Have a wonderful evening!!!
Gracie
Posted by: www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawm3_QItAqz2QLf9uww-aZAndEv1HwE_gW8 | July 26, 2011 at 07:41 PM
Awww! Thank you for posting this. I so love it!
Happy Anniversary!
Posted by: Linda Barber | July 26, 2011 at 08:26 PM
this was awesome to read :) happy anniversary!
Posted by: emily pitts | July 26, 2011 at 08:59 PM
Aww! Love this post! Last January was my "10 year meet-a-versary" with Justin and I meant to remember to do a post about it, but forgot. I love that you have such a great story (past and present) to go along with it! Have a great day tomorrow!!
Posted by: justem | July 26, 2011 at 09:29 PM
Thats such a cool story!!! Happy Anniversary! From a fellow Harry Potter fan!
Posted by: Megan Renfree | July 26, 2011 at 11:34 PM
Aw! That is so wonderful. Happy happy anniversary to the two you. And two such pretty girls to come out of it, too. Me and my husband met met in 2001 as well, in November. We decided the evening we met to go see Lord of the Rings, and all the sequels together. And so we did.
Posted by: Rockermorsan | July 26, 2011 at 11:48 PM
Just *heart* this blog entry Jen - so so SO incredibly sweet. Happy Happy Anniversary my friend and many more years of cherished memories together!! xoxo
Posted by: AnnaMarie | July 27, 2011 at 04:11 AM
what a sweet love story! you should definitely send this to the author! happy anniversary!
Posted by: Lindsay | July 27, 2011 at 07:57 AM
Awwwww.... Okay, I just have to say how glad I am that Bradley cried at HP, cause my guy totally rolled his eyes when I sat there sobbing into my popcorn greasy napkin. LOL.
Posted by: Kim J. | July 27, 2011 at 07:17 PM