I can’t believe I am writing this and he hasn’t kick me away yet, Because between you and I, I can be a pretty nasty person if you rub me the wrong way! Before I really get into the story of this which I am sure you guys are going to know that I am dated by how we met and honestly, you would be right. I am slightly old. I am pretty open about that.

My boyfriend and I met on Plenty of Fish. The Original dating site from way back when which I am sure is still live and being used today. He is from Quebec and I am from Nova Scotia. He moved to Halifax due to his job. He was basically only in the city for maybe a month or two when we connected online. He said the thing that had really stuck out for him was in my profile I had something along the lines of “I have a job, I don’t want your money, and I don’t want to give you mine”. This was directly because of my previous relationship and how he basically took all my flipping stuff!

We ended up talking for a bit online, I think we even talked on the phone once as well too. Before we met we never video chatted which was slightly against my rules though because I always like to see a person before meeting up because you know.. Creeps! When we did end up meeting he picked me up at my parents house, Yes, I was still living with them. He needed a winter coat and only was at one of the two bigger malls in the city so I brought him to the other. I feel like it was a good time but pretty laid back. How much can you really learn from a person in a few hours. I was planning on going downtown since I was a “Bar Star” At the time so he got some of his friends and ended up going a well! After that the rest kind of happened.

He wanted to start things a little earlier however I was really nervous because my last relationship I rushed and it went super bad. I wanted to make sure we knew one another first. He was extremely patient with me and waited til we knew one another for a while.

How we became a couple is kind of a funny story. During October, November and December we just hung around, chatted, spent a lot of time together. I was only working part time in my career so this was a lot easier to just stay over night at his place instead of him getting up early or staying up late and bringing me to and from his place (Which he did a lot in the beginning!). We went to movies and dinners and did the bar scene too! Well, in December he went back to Quebec so that he could see his friends and what not. His parents travel south for the winter since Quebec can be very harsh with how cold it can be. He was getting my Christmas present there as I had given him his before hand. In the process he said he was doing brunch with a girl he knew from school. I was pissed. Low key triggered by this. I barely texted him all day. When he did end up talking through text he asked why I was distant and I said it was because I was upset he went to brunch with some other girl, and I asked him how he would feel if I was to go to brunch with another guy? He understood where I was coming from then. And in that moment he asked me if I would be his girlfriend, which obviously I said YES!

After being in an abusive relationship before from when I was 18-20. I didn’t know any other type of love. I didn’t think I could be loved and I didn’t think I even deserved it. My dad asked if I was being treated right which obviously I said I was. Being with my boyfriend was so strange to me. He picked me up at my house. I didn’t have to take the bus to him like I did every time with my ex. He took me out to dinners and paid. And the dinners were not just McDonald’s but actual restaurants too. Same with the movies, he also paid. It felt so weird to have someone take care of me.

Looking back it is crazy to think that a lot of the first 5 years of our relationship he was away due to his job traveling and what not. We had gotten a cat together and a dog soon after I moved in. I got my license so that I could drive to and from his house and not rely on him being able to pick me up. We did the bar scene where we would party and by we I mean i would and he would be the designated driver since he knew cab rides to my house after were about 35-40 dollars which I always went back because I had a friend who would go with me and I wouldn’t leave her hanging. We did the minor traveling back and forth every year to Quebec in the summer so we could see his family as well too. We had a house before moving here and renting this one and soon will have another one again.

And we have a FREAKING SON TOGETHER! Like a tiny human of half me and half him together in this world. If relationships have taught me anything, I need to be more kind and not as rude. I act and react before thinking about saying something a little bit nicer. I know I can be a very challenging individual to love and I would like to say my last relationship was to blame but it really isn’t (At least not all the way) as I was a cranky kid too!

Regardless, I cannot believe that we are here celebrating it and I am looking forward to enjoying an evening together as we normally do, ordering some food in, eating some junk, watching some movies, and picking up some Krispy Kremes as well, since it wouldn’t be an anniversary in Quebec with out it! Here is to another 10 years that will fly by also too!

-StaySeeJ08