A Romantic Blast from the Past

Back in the day I used to have a hotmail account that I used on a regular basis.  I've been a gmail girl for years now, but hotmail used to be my domain. 

Yesterday I started browsing some of these emails (that thanks to junk mail have accumulated to thousands).  On the left I saw a tab entitled "My Evan."


I had completely forgotten about it.  And I pressed it.  And the tears flowed.

My husband and I have been together for 10 years.  We still occasionally email each other sweet nothings or "I love you because" emails.

Yesterday, I found the FIRST email he ever sent me.  We had started dating FIVE DAYS  before he wrote this.  We were SEVENTEEN, so excuse the use of "u" instead of "you" and the awkward parts where he acted ... well ... 17. 

But seeing what he wrote?   Seeing that he KNEW we were meant to be together only five days in to our relationship, and at 17? (a junior in high school)  I think we give a new meaning to the word soulmates.  Behold:

ok, i'm not sure u understand how i feel about u, and it's my fault because i'm awful at these kinds of things.  . honestly(this probably sounds cliched) i've never felt so strongly about anyone before.  i know this is right for me, i've finally found the girl of my dreams. i've always thought teenage relationships were just something u did because u might as well, they didn't mean anything. .. well that has changed, this means soo much to me. i would give every moment to u if u would let me.

remember saturday i got "dressed up" and combed my hair to go see u? well my friends were wondering what the occasion was when i got to the swim meet, and i told them i just went to sit with u at work, u should have seen their faces, they were asking me if i was alright, it was pretty funny... anyways

sorry it was so jumbled, i just typed as things came in to my head, i didn't come close to describing how special u r to me

Isn't this one of the most adorable things you've ever read?  The beautiful part of it?  I have PAGES of these love notes ... PAGES and PAGES. 

Fast forward to when we were a long distance couple while he lived in Ohio and I was already at Texas A&M (mind you, we were only EIGHTEEN when he wrote this one):

You alone hold the key to my heart. You have opened it up and now all I feel is our love. We are truly meant for eachother. Nothing else will suffice. We are stronger than ever now and more in love. But just wait until next semester. Then we will come to understand what it is to be true companions.

Yours always and forever,

Evan (your future husband)

 study well my scholar, hold me in your heart always.

He always calls me his scholar because he says I'm the most studious person he knows.  He ended up transfering that semester, just as his email suggested.  But even when we lived one building away from each other, the emails didn't stop ...  He wrote me this after my Grandmother (Tata) passed away and I couldn't go to the funeral because I had 3 midterms that day.  My Grandma was a very special woman to the two of us (that's why if we have a girl, her name will be Gloria after my Grandma):

I know today will be tough for you, but try to remember that as soon
as I'm out of lab I will be by your side to hold you and comfort you.
I miss Tata too, she was a very special woman to me and she always
treated me with such love. I know she loved you and continues to do
so and she would only want you to be happy. I love you and don't
hesitate to ask me for anything.

Could he have texted me this?  Could he have waited an hour to tell me this in person?  Of course.  But that's not my husband.  My husband always wants me smiling.  And, this email?  It made me smile on a tough day.  While we were engaged, the romantic emails flowed even more!

It's hard to believe, but I have spent the last four years falling in love with you and yet I continue to be amazed by the depth of my love for you every day. It is such an incredible feeling to look at you and see what a beautiful woman you are and what a beautiful person you are. I love every last thing about you. From your toes to your hair, I find all of you wondrous. Beyond your physical beauty though I have come to find your strength and intelligence a crutch to lean on when I'm not as strong as I'd like to be.  I love you more than ever. 

 Happy First Anniversary as an engaged couple,

Your Fiancee, Evan

And finally, as a married couple I still get emails that make me smile.  He always lets me know how much our love means to him.  And although I try to do the same, I don't think I'll ever catch up with him.  He is my true, one and only, and reading through these old emails?  It's just about the best hour I've spent in a LONG LONG time.