Flashback Friday: We were destined for each other...

I met Keith about 10 years ago. I was hanging out in the photography studio at SUNY New Paltz with my then-friend Cathy. She was a BFA student and was finishing up her thesis. So was Keith. I was being my typical nosy self and looking through a photo album of the prints he had done for his thesis (PRINTS! Remember those days?) That's when he came in. I sheepishly closed the book, muttering some apology for looking at his stuff without asking him. But he didn't care. He later told me he thought I was cute, but, since he was in a relationship, didn't strike up more than a brief conversation. Fast forward to a year later. Cathy and I were spending our usual weekend night out at The Oasis Cafe, the bar where I spent most of my early 20s, back when I worked the second shift instead of the first. Keith and his roommate were hanging out. Keith was deciding whether to intern at the Record or be a ski instructor at Hunter Mountain. We hit it off, and a few months later, after numerous phone calls, we had our first date, on which he made a delicious dinner for me.

It was a good thing he didn't become a ski instructor and move to Hunter, and it was a good thing I didn't try harder for that job at Columbia University, because we both stayed in New Paltz and even worked together for a time at the Record. I feel so lucky to have met him and to have created a family with him. And what a beautiful family we have. And we're even luckier to raise our family in what I think is the most beautiful part of New York, the Hudson Valley.

We were married in New Paltz five years ago at the Locust Tree Restaurant. The restaurant is still there (it's an historic building, after all), but the business is under new ownership and is now called Rock 'n Rye Tavern. While Cole and Grandma Carolyn played the night away, we had a few lovely cocktails and an absolutely delicious dinner with local everything (meat, veggies, and handmade pasta!)

This space within the grove of locust trees is where we were married 5 years ago.

The waitress took this picture of us after we told her our beautiful love story.

Keith refuses to pose like a normal person. This was the better of the three shots I took.

On our way home we stopped at Mohonk for a gorgeous view of the sunset. A nice hiker took our picture.

The Catskills

Still working out the kinks of my new haircut, but it's growing on me.