6 Years Later: Our Story

Our anniversary was Sunday and June 4th marked 6 years married.  Six years ago yesterday was one of my most favorite days.  It doesn’t get better than being surrounded by all of your favorite people does it?  Almost makes me want to do it all over again… just to get everyone back together.  Most importantly, back on that dance floor!

It’s been an emotional couple of days over here.  We lost a very special person in my family.  Although it’s in times of sadness that I realize how gosh darn lucky I am to get to walk through this life with the most awesome gang.  My parents came over on Friday evening, we barbecued and played with Rex and it was exactly the spirit lifting we all needed.  Not only do I feel lucky to have the very best family around, but I feel so lucky to have found my person in life (T).

Saturday night T and I went out for dinner and drinks (at Ella–the bar always feels like the perfect spot to celebrate special occasions).  It was so good for the soul to put on some lipstick, heels and head out sans a baby.  Since Rex is the main squeeze in my life these days (sorry but you know it’s true T), I thought I’d give my original number one some love today and share more of our story. Because I guess you’re interested!–did you know the most googled phrase on CITNB is a search for our wedding.

How we met. |  Coincidentally we’re from the same hometown (Chico) however we didn’t meet until college (Santa Clara).  Our moms like to take credit here as they met first, exchanged our phone numbers, and instigated our meeting.  A blind date–at Applebees.  We had just finished our freshman year of college and were back home for the summer.  I can still replay that July through August in my head vividly.    We’ve been best friends ever since.

On following him to the East Coast (and back again). |  When Tanner first proposed I wasn’t quite sure I was ready.  We had dated all through college and a few, but I didn’t want to leave San Francisco, my girlfriends, and the comfortable network and life I had going for me at the time.  His plan wasn’t quite my plan (I thought I would be 30 when I got married which as a 24 year old sounded like a super mature age to me… not 25).  But turns out I like his plan better.  And he was right, he always is.  He talked me into it (getting married), and moving across the country with him to grad school.  The few years we spent on the East Coast was one of the best things we could have ever done as a couple.  It was such an amazing adventure.  We didn’t know anyone which meant we had so much quality hang time together as a couple.  So many scary firsts-like getting our West Village apartment and dying at the amount of money we had to put down for our deposit.  And then a couple years later, moving back to California (also his doing, for his job)–and as much as I cried and wasn’t ready to leave New York– it again has turned out to be the best decision for us.

Oh my gosh we have a baby. |  Sounds silly to admit but sometimes I forget that Rex is half Tanner, even though Rex is looking more and more like his mini me.  Maybe because it’s still hard to comprehend and having a baby is still the most magical, crazy cool thing we could have ever done.  Best of all?  Watching Tanner as a father.  Rex is obsessed with T which makes me love them both all the more.

On 13 years. |  It’s crazy to look back on everything we’ve gone through together.  College days seem forever ago.  The long distance days when T studied abroad in Australia… and again his first year of grad school (New York to San Francisco… that was rough).  New York together.  And now a house and a baby.  Suburbia?  Who knew-although I’m totally embracing suburbia.  So many milestones and so much yet to look forward to.

Photography | Stephanie Russo


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