Yesterday, as I was packing away Christmas decorations, I came across this photo of Dave and I in 1999. We were still in college…not yet engaged, and totally silly.
So…I decided to do something with it this morning…
I wrote:
Notes from the early years:
- Our first date was a day out in Boston that ended at a Wendy’s where he asked me to order off the dollar menu. I was charmed.
- He told me my face was like a perfectly constructed Mr. Potato Head. An unusual compliment, but I loved it. WAY better than the guys that were walking around campus saying that their girlfriends “complete” them. Oh brother!
- He sent me astronaut ice cream when I complained about the heat during my semester abroad in the Dominican Republic.
- I was verrrry impressed with both his performance as “Lucky” in “Waiting for Godot” (a performance in which he had one line, that went on for four minutes, that he memorized on a bus ride to Vermont), and the Silent Film he made his Senior Year for which he arranged live musical accompaniment (Dave on accordion, of course).
- Everyone…everyone told us that they would have never put us together. In fact, people still say that. But there was something there. Something I couldn’t walk away from. He was witty and clever, unusual but safe, and endlessly unexpected. And he still is.
- But looking back, I can’t help but think it’s SOOO much better now. We’ve both grown so much. Grown together. We are cute and silly in this photo…heck we’re still cute and silly…but the years have made us grounded, strong, brave, and a little bit wiser. I like the Now Robyn MUCH better than the Then Robyn. I like the Now Dave much better than the Then Dave. But most of all, I like the Now Us so much more than the Then Us. I would never go back to where we were.
- We’ve been lucky. I hope that doesn’t change.
It was actually sort of tricky to figure out what I wanted to say about this photo. When I look at it, I feel sort of proud of how hammy we were. But there was something scary and exhilarating about those early years that doesn’t feel scary or exhilarating any more. And that I don’t miss. I definitely prefer the stability we’ve been in lately. And I hope, hope, hope to have many more years of it.
Want to see a then-and-now?
1999 and 2012. I look at these two and think: not that different and SO TOTALLY DIFFERENT! ha!
on my plate today? I am making pink and purple superhero cupcakes for my favorite almost-4-year-old Spitfire of a Dreamboat. Who when faced with the dilemma of not having a pink and purple cape for her Superhero Party told her mom “Robyn can make me one.” Ha! Sadly, time didn’t allow for the cape (from me at least….there WILL be a pink and purple cape!), but the cupcakes? I’m on it!
Email this post
What a great photo! I’ve missed you and can’t wait to talk. I will call Tuesday.
talk soon, Emm. ;) Looking forward to it!
Eric’s first comment when I showed him the Instagram shot was, “they haven’t changed at all.” Which shocked me, because I thought that you’d changed so much. :) But after talking about it a while, we ended up agreeing it was a mix of both. Sounds like you agree. ;)
So cute…and so fun to look back. Makes one appreciate how you have grown and enlarged your circle of love.
I agree w/ Eric; but looking at the pictures longer I see a soft maturity in the second pix. But you two look like life together agrees w/ you!!
this is so unbelievably adorable!
wow – i see andrew in the roundness of your face! i knew he looked like you but i see it in the 1999 photo more than ever!
still trying to figure out who the little red caboose resembles, though. ;)
Once in a while, Chris and I will say something to each other like, “Can you believe Robin Dill and Dave Rice got together?” (-;
I LOVE you two.