Our story doesn't start with any of the loving charm or warm fuzziness from which most couples seem to find their footing; we outright despised each other in the beginning. I found her quite obnoxious, rambunctious, and, in general, very loud. Words she would later admit to using to describe myself would fall somewhere between pedantic and pretentious, though I, myself, can attest that she very rarely stayed within such kind parameters. Despite our distasteful disposition towards one another we had, and still have, a mutual friend who was hell-bent on having us get along, at least to the point where we could sit next to each other and not bite. One would have better luck getting cats and dogs to collaborate. However, while waiting in a lunch line one day this mutual friend decided to disappear for a moment and leave Bekah and I to our own devices. We stood there, stubborn and silent, neither saying a word. That was, of course, until a very unfortunate soul walked past our bitter gaze and provoked us to subtly mutter in unison "man, I really hate that guy." Little did I know that the enemy of my enemy would one day be my wife. Though our's was a slow roll to start, the hills and hiccups and Himalayas of life have hurled us forward with momentum to spare, enough to carry us onward for many years to come. From hospitals to hallelujahs we've stood by each other's side. And when we recollect on all the woe's that have befallen us we can only respond with smiles, because it's when you're at your lowest when you begin to understand the aches and pains of love, and it's the moments that follow soon after that teach you the sweetness of the fruits of perseverance. We've plenty of hills more to climb and plenty more people to mutually despise, but should all those things crumble away I know one thing will remain; she'll always be a bit loud and I'll always be a bit pedantic, and we'll always love to hate about each other. (To be clear, we really do love each other now-B)