Our Anniversary

 

 

Dan and Jan.  Senior Year of High School(2009) I  like to think I grew into my ears

It’s 8^th grade.  I am a scrawny 13 year old with an American Eagle polo and Hollister jeans that are falling down to my ankles, not because I thought sagging pants were cool but I thought belts were specifically uncool.  She’s the prettiest girl I’ve ever met, probably also wearing American Eagle clothing, with “fun” colored braces and wide-eyed stare that made it seem that she was always genuinely excited to see you.  I was enamored so I decided I was going to ask her out at the end of the year, so when I was rejected she, I, and everyone in our separate circles would have a whole summer to forget.  Now, when I say ask, I don’t mean actually ask.  That would be embarrassing, so instead I wrote it down, elementary school style.  My palms sweat as I write this.  I think you can guess how that turned out.  We started dating!  Nine years later!

My girlfriend, Danielle, and I are celebrating our one year anniversary tomorrow.  Well, less celebrating and more going to our respective jobs for money to celebrate over the weekend.  It’s been a monumental year for both of us.  Around this time last year, she was about ready to leave a terrible nannying job and would soon after find an excellent job as a day care teacher.  I started my writing grind around this time last year and haven’t looked back.  Now, one year later, we’re starting to really figure out what we want to do.  And I’m not sure about her, but I know I wouldn’t be productive without her.

She, hands down, is the single greatest person I know and will ever know, and there is not an ounce of hyperbole in that statement.  I’ve never met anyone who can feel the world around them, both good and bad, as intensely as she does.  I’ve never met anyone who literally would not hurt a fly.  No one I know can articulate their feelings as well as she can.  She always has something new to say and I always have something to learn when I’m around her.  She makes me a better person and I don’t think she needs improving from me.  She’s hilarious, she’s phenomenal and, if I haven’t stated it enough, she’s kind.  If people are leagues, she’s an MLB pitcher and I’m an outfielder in T-Ball sitting in the grass eating bugs.  I love you, Danielle!  We can only go up.

Of course I’ll also post the classic anniversary pics that every couple does on Facebook and Instagram, but have you ever noticed that they all read the same?  They read as though the couple broke up and got back together as the person was writing the status.  So, when I eventually write my anniversary post on Facebook it will, according to the Facebook law of Anniversary Posts(more of a Theory), go something like this:

Even though she puts me in a constant haze of existential torment, and every day feels infinitely worse than the last, she is worth it.  Sure, we constantly fight about the toilet seat, my decoy Facebook for Tindering, and then ghosts of fights’ past tack on to the relevant fight, it only brings us closer.  And yeah, maybe I haven’t eaten in four days and my hair is prematurely graying and I’m only getting an hour of sleep every night, I get to see her face.  We think that having a child together will only strengthen our relationship.  I ❤ you, bb!

I will probably post something nicer than that.

 

Dan and Jan, 2 minutes ago.