On The 2 Year Mark

Kelly and I hit our 2 year mark, folks. In honor of how much I love reminiscing, let's reminisce.

Starting in 2007, Kelly and I worked together. I was his trainer, and even though I looked like this, he still thought I was cute:

So I'd save a seat for him at work, which he thought was creepy. And I'd scoot my chair closer to him, which he thought was creepy. And I'd tell him how hot his arms were, to which he would flex in response, and he thought it was creepy.  Here's a picture I snapped at the Operator Christmas party because, hey. When you have a crush on someone, it's fun to try to take pictures of them.

 Our relationship really picked up when we started doing skits together at the BYU Operator retreats. Skits in which I insisted on being married to him. Everyone thought it was so hilarious. (right, guys?)

As the years went by, I often would invite Kelly over to do things like carve pumpkins and make s'mores over my stove. We had a lot of fun together, but when I asked him, "Do you think you would you ever, even in some alternate universe, ever date me?" he responded with, "nope."

 I accepted that and decided to just hang out with him all the time anyway, regardless of who I was dating at the time (sorry, past BFs...or am I?)
You can tell by the look on Kelly's face in this one that he loved being close to me and having his picture taken.

And then something magical happened. A miracle. He...started dating me! That's a real smile on his face, folks. Even though I'm so close to him.

And we started doing couple things. Together!

 And we took a road trip to San Francisco on which we talked about...gulp...getting married.

Then we got married! (well, that escalated quickly)

The past 2 years have been the most amazingly happy years of my life. I didn't even know I had the option to be this happy. In fact, I had just come to terms with the idea that my life had to be a little depressing at all times when Kelly showed me the truth was just the opposite.

One of our first real-er dates was to see the movie Ratatouille.  Now, if you know anything about me, you know that 1. I love sugar, and 2. I cry at everything. TV shows, books, movies, commercials, you name it. If it's emotional at all, I'm crying.
So, there we are on a date, and the movie comes to the Famously Disney Emotional Part (I don't even remember. The rat loses his family or that red-headed cook doesn't like him anymore or something) and my empathetic instincts kick in. My brain reminds me how depressing life can be and I feel my stomach clench in preparation. But just before the first tear can weasel its way out, Kelly leans over and says something downright ridiculous. Instead of crying, I erupt in laughter. The people in front of us give us the movie theater SHHHH, but we can't stop laughing, and a light goes on. "Natalie," the light says, "It feels so much better to laugh than to cry! Why have you been crying all these years?" I slipped my hand into Kelly's as a thanks for the revelation he had just unknowingly given to me.

This moment didn't take away all my empathy and stop me from crying during every TV Show/movie/book. Oh no, I cried watching Modern Family this morning on Hulu. But that's not the point. The point is, my whole life I had been worrying and crying myself to sleep, dwelling on things that I couldn't change; but there was suddenly this amazingly wise (and funny) man in my life who made me feel like I didn't need to anymore.

Now when things start falling apart and I feel my limbs give out like a child's push puppet, Kelly's right by my side, reminding me how good it feels to laugh and how good it is to be me.

My life is amazing.

Here's a video to prove it: