Ten Years Later...

Ten years ago today, Sean and I started dating. I cannot believe it has been 10 years already. I have no idea where the time has gone. Here we are now, in a different state, totally different life, and our duo is now a trio.
As most know we met online of all places. Not through a dating site or anything but still. I was having a hard time sleeping one night and was on AOL and got an instant message from someone I didn't know. Usually I ignored the ones from strangers but this one peaked my interests..."have you ever been to the Purple Place?"
For those not from our little town of El Dorado Hills (not so little anymore) the Purple Place is a dive bar (well not such a dive anymore I hear). I looked at this strangers profile and it said he lived in Eugene, OR. I wondered how someone in Eugene would know of the Purple Place. So we started talking. Soon I found myself getting excited if he was on or staying up later to see if he would come on. At the time my parents had free long distance calling on Fridays. We were up late one Thursday talking and Sean wrote that he wished we could talk sometime. I wrote "how about now" since it was free. We started talking at 12:30am and didn't hang up till about 8:30 in the morning. We just clicked right away.
I felt it sooooo odd how we met and was petrified to tell my best friend, Niki, about Sean. I didn't know what she'd say. When I finally did tell her and said that he was coming home for Spring break and should I met up with him I will never forget what she said, "Rachel, you never know what could happen and where it can start so who knows...just take a chance".
I did and I am so glad! It was so easy right from the start for us to talk and be comfortable around one another. We meshed right away with each others families. Sean and I joke now about how our first date was dinner at his parents house, with them. At the time we thought nothing of it. Looking back now, who the heck has their first date with their parents???
Who knew that 10 years later we would be where we are now. We have had some major struggles and have always come out the other side stronger, and we have had some of the greatest moments in our lives together. Mostly, we have made ourselves a home here in Oregon and have brought Abigail into our lives who enriches it daily. I can't wait to find out what the next ten years has in store!