This was the first picture that was ever taken of the two of us! from our earliest dating days! I think we had maybe been dating for a month or so here - can you tell from our huge grins we were smitten?! We were both 19...and whoever could have known back then all that would unfold from that summer of fun in Olney!
I met Byron at a call centre, for those of you who don't know the story. I had just returned from my first year of Uni at Stirling. My sister Mel was already working at a call centre in Milton Keynes for the summer and so she got me a job there - it was called Merchants. We were taking incoming calls from markers who were marking exam scripts for the exam board EdExcel. About 2 weeks after I started a new department started in the desks beside where we worked - and so Mel and I eagerly watched the talent file in the morning their training started and I remember spotting Byron right away, he was wearing the right skate make of trainers, had baggy jeans and long shaggy hair and I was sold! The first time we hung out outside of work was a week after we had met, purely because it was the night before my birthday and my mom had told me to leave the house so she could wrap my birthday prezzies! but where will I go? I whined to her! My parents had only lived in Olney for less than a year and that whole time I'd been at university in Scotland so I didn't have any friends or know anyone in Olney! Mel said what about that new guy at work? because as it turned out he lived in Olney too! so I sheepishly called him to see if he wanted to hang out, and thank goodness he did! and the rest as the say is history!
So we took Ella Bella back to find Merchants in Milton Keynes and this picture above is us standing outside the front entrance. We were able to tell her the story that this is where her mommy and daddy met and it felt extra magical having her there with us as we walked down memory lane!
So although our 10 year anniversary was on the 25th August, and I'm obviously a bit late to the game with this post, I just couldn't leave it going undocumented! because it's a pretty huge accomplishment and one I'm so proud of! I wanted to ponder and look back at some of the epic things we've done in those 10 years!
We have lived in over 10 different houses/flats/maisonettes/coachouses spanning 5 different countries!
We have had some amazing adventures!
From honeymooning in Mauritius and meeting some lion cubs up close and personal
and going on an undersea walk on the seabed!
To elephant trekking through Thailand
To paragliding in the Caribbean!
To Ski/Snowboard seasons at Whistler
To becoming parents to the most beautiful little girl we had ever laid eyes on!
To hiking Table Mountain to announce our latest baby news!
It's been a wild and awesome ride, and I wouldn't have wanted to experience it with anyone else!
When Byron and I started dating I could never have imagined what an amazing dad he would become...
We didn't have any baby or young nieces and nephews between us back then...
I had never seen him with a baby or child before and so it's not like I ever had a hint as to what he would be like,
but knowing the honest to good person he is inside and out I could imagine he would be fantastic.
He has exceeded all my expectations of the kind of father I want for my children though!
and it is a joy to watch!
We planned our Anniversary fun to co-incide with a trip to London! so we were welcomed to my sisters place in West Hampstead with this cute little bunting and an anniversary card!
We had opened these other cards that morning as we left Bedford. I remember for our 1st wedding anniversary we got about 30 cards! and then every other year has just been from our parents so getting 5 this time again made it seem like an extra special one!
Auntie Mara was of course a very willing babysitter for our date night, which Ella was just thrilled about! It is no secret that Auntie Mara is her fave!
So Ella didn't even bat an eyelid as we headed out for the night!
I had spent hours googling where to go for our anniversary meal! Since date nights for just the two of us are so infrequent these days I feel like we really need to make the most of them and any old place just won't do! but I am always faced with the decision of wanting to go to a fancy restaurant inside or going to a restaurant that serves milkshakes! the two don't seem to exist together!!! Since it was our anniversary I decided a fancy interior should trump milkshakes this time (and we had actually had lunch with my Harpenden friends earlier that day at The Waffle House and so I got my milkshake fix then!)
So my lovely friend Tash recommended Asia de Cuba in Covent Garden!
It had a great fusion menu that was a little bit different, and certainly something we would never come across in the Scottish Borders!
These shrimp churros were the highlight of my meal! literally soooo delicious! I have only ever had sweet churros before but these savoury ones were a game changer!
We also got these amazing little bites of guava bbq pork casabe cakes for starters which we were very impressed with.
The actual main meals weren't as photogenic or quite as delish as the starters, but it was still a tasty meal all round!
We headed onto La Gelataria for dessert, because I'd read such rave reviews!
Byron declared it the best ice cream he'd ever had (peanut butter flavour)! and my Nutella offering was pretty tasty too!
We headed on down to Southbank, one of our fave spots in London where we have spent many a date night in years gone by. Plus the night was still young, we had a free babysitter and so we wanted to live it up!
Unfortunately since I'm not so good at wearing heels these days, our walk was short lived! as my feet started killing! but it was still magical to be taking in the lights and love of London!
and to reflect on how blessed I've been these last 10 years! Here's to the next 10, I can't wait to see what they bring!
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