It's been 8 years that mommy and daddy have been together

Stephen and I met in 2006. It was around Christmas time… I love Christmas time. I was 16 about to turn 17. It was a busy time of the year of course. We both had to celebrate the holidays with our families but we still couldn't stop chatting, emailing and texting each other. Soon enough, Stephen became my math and chemistry tutor. He did a great job but I was more interested in the tutor than the material itself. Anyways, we always had that special connection but we were both dating at the time and agreed to just be friends. Stephen came to my graduation and we then attended the same college. We’d often see each other and the connection we had just kept growing. We often said that we knew “we’d end up together forever someday” but that when we’d get together it would be serious. Here is a picture of us when we met…

                                          

Attending the same college didn't help our case. We’d study together, wait for each other to finish school, Stephen would pick me up after classes with his mom’s car to bring me to the metro… Sometimes we’d go to his house to study (yeah he lived really close by). We were just getting more and more attracted to each other. By the beginning of 2008, Stephen was single and I was… well almost single. It was a late Sunday night that Stephen called me and told me “you know what, I love you, I love you Carlinha, I just do, I know it, I always have and we knew this would be coming.” To which I replied “yeah, I love you too, as a friend.” … And he replied “No, not as a friend, I love you like I’d love for you to be my girlfriend.” Oh! To which I replied “omg! I love you!” This is our first picture we took as an “official couple.”

 

In June 2008, we went for a really nice date. We took a 5 hour walk. It was a gorgeous day. Not too cold… Not too hot… Nice breeze. At the end of our walk, we went for ice cream. I don’t remember what Stephen had… I had a medium soft vanilla and chocolate ice cream dipped in dark chocolate (yum) I was enjoying my ice cream (and probably had tons of chocolate all around my mouth) when Stephen said “I wish I could go down in my knees but I really cannot move after walking for 5 hours (nonstop may I add.) I asked him “Why would you want to go down on your knees baby?” While taking a huge ice cream bite… He looked at me with his “I’m so in love” look in his eyes and he asked me “will you marry me?” Uhhhhh!!!! “YES!” Actually, it was more of a “yeah… yeahhh! Yes of course.” Yup, we had been dating for about 3 months when he proposed… I’m still not sure what we were thinking… but hey, it worked out.

By then, we were just engaged, we didn't have any wedding date planned and we hadn't announced our engagement to friends just yet. Then, when I turned 19, we decided that we wanted to set a date… We were ready for the bigger step. We set the date for a year later (day I would turn 20.) 2009 was SUCH a busy year. We were both working, we were both in university and we were planning a wedding. When I say planning a wedding… I mean, big reception hall, 9 course meal, 200 + guests and 14 people bridal party (thanks mom and dad.) On top of that, around the time we got married it was also exam time for both of us. Anyways, stressful!

We got married in December 2009. It was a beautiful day, the night was magical. I can’t think of any better way of celebrating my 20^th birthday than to have gotten married to my best friend and now husband.

Our first year of marriage went by so fast. We were so busy (still working and university) that we didn't really have time to think about much. Stephen also did fly in’s and out’s during summer. That summer I also worked weird shifts, so we didn't get to talk much. However, whenever we’d get to be together we’d have tons of stuff to say.

Then, at our first marriage anniversary, we learned that we were expecting our first baby. We couldn't be more thrilled. We had been “not trying not preventing” since we had gotten married. In September 2011 Noah was born. Our whole life was changed. It made us so much stronger as a couple. I thought we were a strong couple before… but after Noah, we just connected in a totally different level. I loved Stephen, the man, the best friend, the husband and the dad. The dad part of him drove me insanely and madly in love with him.

At our second anniversary, when Noah was 3 months old, we learned a BIG news. We were expecting again! Oh god, were we shocked. Emma was not planned and we are still not exactly sure how she happened but she did and it’s what matters. We were worried, SCARED, but happy. I’m not going to lie. 2012 wasn't an easy year. It was my first year as a stay at home mom with a full time working husband, we also moved to the middle of nowhere for Stephen’s job AND I was pregnant. In other words, I was lonely, lonely and scared. When came the time to give birth to Emma everything just changed… It’s like a re-fell in love with Stephen… Wait uh, re-re-refell in love with him. Seriously, he’s a great dad. You should see him with the kids. Not me and the kids, just him and the kids. When he’s alone with them he just becomes that nice, loving, caring, super dad. It’s so freaking hot uhhh nice to see.

2013 was pretty much a calm year. Lots of adapting with the children and Stephen’s job but overall it was a nice year. Stephen is just growing as a person, as a husband and as a father. I’m not sure I've mentioned this before, but Stephen isn't the romantic type of guy. Nope, not at all. However, in the last year, he’s gone out of his way to show us how much he cares, how much he wants us to feel loved and appreciated. I know what whatever he does, he thinks about us first. He puts his interests second to make sure that we have all that we need.

2014 has been good so far. We realize that we might be too focused on the children and not on us. We noticed a kind of disconnection. Our goal is really to work together and focus on our goals. It’s really doable, and I’m sure we’ll succeed. We are also working on vacations… We really need to go on a honeymoon (no we haven’t yet.) Oh! And we started this new diet… It’s going really well so far and we’re losing a lot while still being healthy and motivated. We would like to start jogging soon… Anyways, couple stuff, you know?

All that to say that, 8 years and 2 children later, I’m so happy to be Stephen’s wife. Every day I look at Stephen and tell myself that I’m extremely lucky to have him in my life and to have him as the father of my children. I couldn't dream of a better partner and parent. I hope that every day I show you just how much you mean to me (to us.) Thank you for being that partner that always knows how to make me smile and laugh until I can no longer laugh. Thank you for being that parent that I know will always be there, that I am not worried about and that is responsible enough to take care emotionally and financially of his children… Thank you Stephen, thank you because you accept me, you encourage me and you love me. I could go on and on… But most of all Stephen, thank you for being there, for being there when I mess up (really badly at times), for being there when I’m happy, when I’m sad… Thank you for cheering me up and thank you for reassembling me when I’m falling apart. You are my everything, and all I could possibly dream of. You are my destiny… and I am your life. I love you baby.