love stories: lena & david

Meet Lena. If you haven't visited her blog, you really really should. The first thing I read on Lena's blog was her love story and after reading that, I was sold. Since then, Lena and I have realized our mutual love for India, a country we both spent a lot of time in, as well as photography, food [pesto] and travel [in fact, she's moving to Switzerland next month! I smell a Euro Trip...]. Lena was actually the first blogger I reached out to about this little series... and you'll understand why once you read more [seriously, Nicholas Sparks could write a book on her love story]. 

Our love story begins quite a few years ago, when jump rope and multiplication tables were my reality. Yes, a beautiful school day back in the fourth grade. On this particular day, there was talk of a new boy, David, at school. I walked into geography class, and there he was in all of his nine year old glory. And man, he was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. As I walked to my desk, he looked up at me and that, my friends, is when I fell hopelessly in love. Through the years, I drew hearts around his name, daydreamed about our first date and imagined that (one day) he would love me back. And ten years later, he did.

This happened on their second date. Obviously, it was meant to be.

Just a few weeks before my sophomore year of college came to a close, David asked if I'd like to go on a date. Without hesitation, I agreed. On the first day of summer, he picked me up and we went rock climbing. We watched the sunset and he held my hand.. everything was just as I had always imagined. But a second date had to wait because I had committed my summer to sending high school students to summit mountains at a backcountry camp. This particular camp was nestled deep in British Columbia's wilderness, and what made it especially unique was that it excluded the comfort of modern technology (no phone, no internet, no flushing toilets.. crazy). So, he wrote me letters. Everyday. And I wrote him back. Everyday. And it was during that time that our love grew immensely.

lena and david // photo courtesy of ed hetherington

Upon my return, David took me on that second date which led to many more. After an afternoon filled with hiking and long conversation, when all was dark and quiet, he whispered I love you. I smiled and after a decade of waiting, turned to whisper the same thing back to him. In 2010, during a spring shower that brought about a breeze that smelled of honeysuckle and dreamy mist, we vowed for eternity in front of our family and closest friends.

photo courtesy of ed hetherington

Our marriage has seen an abundance of joyful times and trying times, all of which are deeply appreciated. You see, I've come to find that learning how to love someone well takes a lot of time and energy, but that is what makes this little thing called love so incredible. Knowing someone for exactly who they are, the good and the bad, and loving all of them is something that I can hardly begin to put into words. But one thing I know for sure.. it's more beautiful than I could have ever hoped for or imagined.