Our Dam 5-Year Anniversary

June 3, 2012

My husband thinks he’s lucky. He keeps calling it that (both here and here). But I’m the one who’s blessed. Why? Because no other girl in high school or college was smart enough to see through that slight (oh, who are we kidding?) major nerdy-ness and skinny frame to the man he would become. Even me.

You see, Rob pursued me (still wondering why — other than my love and knowledge of Cyclone sports) for about six months our junior year of college before he gave up and went out with someone else. For some reason, I just didn’t think he was “my type.” It took him dating someone else for me to finally question myself. “Why was it that I wouldn’t give a relationship with him a chance?” I couldn’t think of anything. 
When his relationship with the other girl ended, he called me (while I was in Disneyworld) to let me know. Fitting, today, that Disney is “the happiest place on Earth.” Round two of being pursued began and this time, I didn’t play hard to get. On Oct. 16, 2004, while I was in Missouri Valley, and Rob was in Ames, we decided to change our relationship status on Facebook from friends to “in a relationship with.” 
I’ve never looked back. I guess in some relationships, you evaluate if it’s working or not and proceed from there. We never did. We didn’t have to. I think I was the first to say “I Love You” about three weeks into it. I just felt it and have ever since. 
Not to brag, but my 100-pounds as a high school junior husband gained some much-needed beer weight and is now a 170ish-pound snappy dresser with a heart of freaking gold. 
He’s still a nerd though. As my sister pointed out to me a while ago: “Nerds make the best husbands.” I don’t know a lot of other nerd husbands, but I can vouch for mine. He cooks, cleans and is the best dad to Faith Janna I could ever ask for. 
He also puts up with yours truly. I don’t want to make you dislike the author of this blog, but I have a short fuse, anxiety-ridden tendencies and can be a control freak (good thing I never had to fill out an online dating resume). For some reason, (other than that I can grow a pretty adorable little girl) he keeps on loving me.
Five years ago we vowed in front of God and everyone that we’d love each other no matter what. That was my lucky day. June 2, 2007. 
Beautiful weather. 
Beautiful ceremony. 
And I didn’t know it at the time, but beautiful future. 
It was no surprise to me that June 2, 2012 was just as beautiful. 
It started off with a Dam(n) race. You see, last year I hurt my foot and watched from the sidelines as Rob crossed the finish line of the 20k that Iowans affectionately know as Dam to Dam. This year, we marked five years of wedded bliss by putting ourselves through the pain that a 12.4 mile run brings. Since I had so much time to think along the way, I realized that the course of the race is a lot like marriage — there are ups, downs, bouts of pain and lots of laughter (my favorite sign: “Your feet hurt because you are kicking so much butt!”) but it’s so worth it at the end of the day. 
Rob crossed the finish line in 2 hours exactly. I was right behind him at 2 hours, 4 minutes. He waited for me by the medals, and I fell into his arms as tears came to my eyes. It felt so good to accomplish something so major together, even if we didn’t run side by side the whole way. 
We made our way over to the photo area and posed like a bride and groom smooching. 
We cheered on some more runners (go Summer, who if you remember said she had “no desire to do anything that ended in a K” last year). We hung out with the friends who stood up with us on our wedding day five years ago. 
And then we went on a date (Men in Black 3 in 3D–highly recommend– and P. F. Changs — also amazing). 
I should also mention the night before our race-iversary we went to see the Nadas (my fav band) at Nightfall on the River in Des Moines. 
About three songs into their set, Rob asked me to dance. Mind you there was no dance floor. You sit in lawn chairs on a sloping hill. I REALLY did not want to do this, and tried to escape his grasp many times. Finally, after I decided I was making a scene, I gave in. 
Sure, I felt silly, but just like Oct. 16, 2007, once I was in his arms I didn’t want to leave (cheesy, I know). I told him I didn’t deserve him. He agreed and then laughed. Sometimes I’m not sure why God is so good to me, but I’ll take it. On our way out of the amphitheatre, some guy stopped me and asked, “Are you two newlyweds?” I flashed him a smile and told him that no, we were marking five years together tomorrow. It was, by far, one of the best compliments we’ve ever received.
When we got back to the hotel, he gave me my anniversary card and a present of new running shorts for the race. All I had for him was a card and the story of a botched art project (more on that later — damn you Pinterest). Like I said, pretty sure I don’t deserve him. But in case you didn’t know, this Dam to Dam was the 33rd annual. 33 is my lucky number. Pretty sure I’m the lucky one.