Back in 1997, I met Romeyn Prescott while gaming with a group of youngsters (one of whom I was dating at the time). We played StarCraft, WarCraft, and Diablo I, II, and III (including the LOD expansion pack). Since I was seeing one of the youngsters at the time, I simply noted that Romeyn was wonderfully geeky and handsome and moved along.
Fast forward a few years, and we stayed in touch from time to time using AOL Instant Messenger. We became friends over the course of these small communications. Still, Romeyn was married and not on my radar in that way (because, y'know...married).
Fast forward a few more years, and Romeyn happened to become single. I was in the middle of a toxic relationship which I won't describe here. Romeyn was on AOL Instant Messenger on and off, so we chatted now and again during this time.
When I moved back home to New York State in 2007, I was not ready to be a long term partner to anyone. I knew that I wanted marriage, but I wasn't sure what that would look like yet.
Fast forward another year, and Romeyn and I found each other during prolonged chats, during which he would joke that I should marry him. He said that a lot.
We got together in July of 2008, after a message from me to him that was basically a treatise on me liking him. His parents and mine were a little taken aback, because our lives had been so different prior to getting together. We were (and are) nine and a half years apart. I'm 41 now, and he's 50.
For our first date, he asked me to meet him at Camp. I wasn't familiar with Camp at that time (a historically relevant building in Keeseville, built by Romeyn's ancestors).
We met a little ways from Camp after I got thoroughly lost trying to find it. Romeyn met me near an apple orchard, holding a daisy (my favorite flower) in his hand. The phrase "You had me at hello" applies here--he had me at that little gesture of a daisy before our first date.
I met Kyle (then 10) and Romeyn's parents (Colleen and Peter), and then we headed to dinner at Livingoods in Plattsburgh. We walked past fireworks in Plattsburgh afterwards. It was magical.
I stayed over at Camp that night, in my own room. When I was taking a bath on the second floor the next day, I heard Romeyn whistling a tune from The Music Man. Round two of "He had me at hello." A love of musicals (and at least a tolerance for opera) is a must for me, because otherwise I'd drive the person in question absolutely batty.
I have been so happy since that first date. It's been almost eleven years. I still remember the nervousness of meeting some of his family, and the anticipation that I would meet his older son sometime soon thereafter. I remember the "High School" style notes and giggles. I remember truly feeling accepted as I am.
We got married ten years ago, and I still believe Romeyn is the best thing that ever has happened to me.
Through the years, he's been there for me in every way--so much so that it still boggles my mind. He is the best human I've ever met, my true love, my friend, my husband.
Happy Anniversary, Romeyn!
