The first time I met the woman I would spend the rest of my life with was also the first day of graduate school. We were enrolled in the same PhD program at the University of Oklahoma, studying cognitive psychology.

As I walked up to the classroom on the first day, I heard someone tell
Lisa "Hey, he's from New York, too!"

That was when I first saw her and my first thoughts were: "She's pretty!" and "New York? Nice." Oklahoma was feeling like a different country and it would be nice to have a native New Yorker to commiserate with.

So, Lisa asked something like "Oh yeah? Where in New York?"
I told her, Rochester/Buffalo area. And her?
"Staten Island... Rochester might as well be Oklahoma."
And so our journey began.

It wasn't long before Lisa and I were good friends. We shared similar interests, came to an agreement over what did and didn't count as New York (don't ask us our feelings about Long Island), and bonded deeply over our love and disdain for the scientific enterprise.

During those first few weeks, I also met the third member of our family. Daniela, who had just turned 5, had come with her mom to eat burgers and chicken strips at the Student Union. Daniela saw my discarded tomatoes and told me that she thought they were gross, too, but don't worry, her mom would eat them for us.

Lisa would later tell me that conversation was the one that opened her mind to the possibility of "us." So, I guess I can't say a tomato never did anything for me.

Near the end of our second semester in grad school, Lisa and I went on a trip with some friends to San Diego. Something about the ocean and the sun must have finally tipped the balances of the Universe, because it was there that we decided we should giving dating a chance.

After we returned to Norman, our first date was to the Medieval Fair. We shared some roasted pecans, then ended the night playing Ticket to Ride with our soon-to-be close friends. Lisa trounced everyone, and continued to win every game she played for the first time. This streak continues (with very few exceptions) to this day.

The rest is, as they say, history.

For the past five (!!??) years, Lisa, Daniela, and I have been growing closer and closer together as a family.

There have been some big moments.
Driving for two days straight to meet each other's families for the first time.
Adopting our first kitty, Skit (legal name Rosebud).
Moving in together, which was quite the upgrade, considering that I came from a one-bedroom studio confirmed bachelor pad where I routinely ate rice-a-roni for dinner.
Graduations (two master's degrees and a PhD, with another on the way).
Moving again, this time across the country to a whole new life in Syracuse, NY.
Saying goodbye to our sweet pupperoni, Moose, together.
And at the same time, saying hello to our strangest kitty, Milo.

But there are the little moments too.
The goodnight hugs.
The board games.
The movie nights.
The pizza nights.
The list goes on an on.

Together, those big moments and little moments make up "Our Story."

And so, here we are. At the cusp of a new story. Or, more appropriately, a new chapter.

We can't wait to share that start with you...