The first time we talked was on a school bus. We had first seen each other earlier in the day in U.S. History class. My first day at my new high school after moving to Maryland – the school counselor escorted me to class, and the teacher told me to sit in the front row, where no one else was sitting. I could feel the eyes of my new classmates on my back.
My sister and I were the new girls at a big school. We quickly found out that classes would be harder and more competitive than the small school we went to in New Mexico. We hashed over all of this on our ride home. My parents had just purchased our house, and we were going to meet them at the new house after our first day. The counselor told us which bus to ride to get home.
Mimi and I stepped onto the bus and found a seat near the front together. We weren't sure where to get off, so when I recognized one of the riders as the cute boy from my History class earlier, I decided to ask him. Guess who the cute boy was?
Cute boy Kris
The thing is, Mimi and I got on the wrong bus altogether. Kris did his best to help us get to neighborhood that we lived in – he knew it well since he often played street hockey at the park near it – and we got off the bus at the next stop, deciding to brave our way through the new suburbs on foot. We didn't have cell phones at the time, and didn't have much sense of direction either. Luckily, we happened upon our new street pretty easily after a 30-minute walk through random neighborhoods.
I saw a lot more of "that cute boy" in the weeks that followed. As the term went on, one of Kris's friends asked me if I would like to join their study group for the advanced placement exam. I needed the help, as the move across the country had unsettled my progress in the class, so I took him up on it. The study group included five guys – of them was Kris – and me.
Weeks of studying, and we all passed the exams successfully. All six of us in the study group decided to celebrate our success by a night at the movies. Kris and I sat next to each other, and we nuzzled up to each other all evening at the theater. We officially started dating in May, right after the movies. We had a great summer ahead, as well as our senior year of high school.
Kris and Lolly – 1998
My family loved him, and I quickly fell in love with him too. We were a great match from the beginning. We did the homecoming dance, the prom, the dinner with the parents, the late night phone calls, and holidays-together thing. My family teases me now that we were completely "joined at the hip" at the time. There's no denying it!
Senior Prom
We got engaged in August 1999. We went to college together, and fell even more in love. We began to plan our lives together. Kris finished college in record time, got a great job, and then the big day arrived: January 5, 2002.
Kris and I celebrated our five-year anniversary yesterday. We scheduled dinner at a nice restaurant in town, dressed up for the occasion, and enjoyed a beautiful evening together. We talked about our future and about our past.
We usually do not do an exchange of gifts for anniversary; right after the holidays and Kris's birthday we tend to have a low-key anniversary, usually dinner out and a nice bottle of wine. Kris decided to step it up this year with some other gifts, and I was completely surprised.
The traditional gift for the 5th wedding anniversary is wood, and Kris got creative in his gift-giving (with excellent tips from Jenna - thanks girlfriend!) He bought some beautiful rosewood needles for me! (Size 4.00mm/US6 circulars and 2.25mm/US 1 double pointed needles) I love his special crafty "take" on the traditional gift!
The modern 5th anniversary gift is "silverware", and we have plenty of that, so Kris got creative again and found some adorable sterling silver earrings – they are shaped like little balls of yarn!
And see what I gave him? (Okay, yeah, I just so happened to finish the sweater on our anniversary… but it counts, right?)
Pattern: Men's Bulky V-Neck Sweater
Pattern Source: Knitting to Go Deck: 25 Chic and Easy Patterns
Yarn: Reynolds Lopi Icelandic Wool in Charcoal
Yarn Source: Inherited from a coworker
Needles: Size US 11 and US 10
Started: December 15th / Finished: January 5th
*More pictures and details on Flickr*
The non-traditional anniversary gift?
Definitely wool.
What a great story! You guys were obviously meant to be from the start. Happy Anniversary!
Happy anniversary! You two make a lovely couple and it’s obvious that you’re very much in love. Here’s to many more years of happiness! *raises glass*
Damn Lolly, you almost made me cry, not quite but close! That was a great story. Congrats!
Happy Anniversary! Many blessing for the future!
I love Kris’s take on the anniversary gift. So sweet. I’ll have to pass a few hints to the Mr. for our fifth in August.
Aww! That’s a sweet story. Gives me hope for myself. ^_^ Happy anniversary, Lolly (and Kris). Too cute! Squee!
Happy Anniversary, many more!
happy anniversary, lolly! what a sweet story you two have ~ and wow, a high school romance that lasted? hooray! go you
Happy number 5! What a sweet sweet story. I wish you many more Cheery Anniversaries! =)*)
It must be true love. You got him to wear wool when it is 70 degrees outside. Wishing you many more years together.
I love this story! Thanks for sharing.
Happy Anniversary!!!!!
And his sweater looks great.
Happy Anniversary, Lolly and Kris!! My parents were high school sweethearts (though they went to different high schools), and as they get older, it seems even more amazing that they have known each other for most of their lives — it’s special, unique thing, and I hope that you enjoy each other for a long, long time to come!
Congratulations!!! Happy anniversary
awww – happy anniversary! I love marking every year – looking back, looking ahead….all the memories! He looks great in the sweater – the yarn looks nice in that simple pattern!
Aww what a special story! Happy Anniversary!
Congratulations! What a beautiful story you two have. (This post actually brought a tear to my eye. I’m such a sappy sucker.) Happy happy anniversary! And may you have many more.
All right, I know 165 people ahead of me have said this already, but – awwwww. Very cute story. Congratulations on 5 years – and your sweater for him turned out beautifully.
It’s a very beautiful story, and I hope you guys will have tons more happy anniversaries. Cute sweater!
Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary!!! And it is nice that the weather cooperated for you. And I am sure that Chris is happier with the sweater than he would be with any other gift. You made it out of love for him. And that matters more than anything.
Congratulations! You two were meant for each other and will have many more happy years to come. And many more sweaters!
what a wonderful story! you two are adorable, and this story makes me all teary…
I will be married 4 years in May, the time flies, but the love grows stronger- isn’t it grand?
congrats you two!
Happy Anniversary! (I almost cried! – hehehe)
OMG you both are so cute! Happy Anniversary to both of you!
awe! happy anniversary! what a great take on “wood”!
aww. happy anniversary! thanks for sharing a little of your history, it’s a really sweet story.
oh.. and those earrings are awesome!
What a great story, thanks for sharing! And happy anniversary!
Awwww… such a romantic story. Happy 5th Anniversary!!
You two are so adorable! Happy anniversary!
Bless you both! You’re such cuties. Happy anniversary!
You know, the level of cuteness of you two should really be illegal.
(Just kidding!)
Your story made me all sniffly and happy that such true love exists in the world.
Happy 5th anniversary!
PS – Kris did an awesome job on the presents! Holy cow!
PPS – You did a fantastic job on the sweater, too!
Happy Anniversary 5th Anniversary, Lolly & Kris!
(His sweater turned out great and he looks delighted with it!)
Happy anniversary! What a great story you two share!
Happy Anniversary, Lolly and Chris! Hope you have many, many more!
The earrings are smashing, as is the sweater!
Happy anniversary! I love hearing the story
My husband and I are high school sweethearts too, isn’t it so fun? When everyone else is just meeting, we’ve known each other for so much time already. It is sweet, sweet time together.
Happy belated anniversary! Wishing you both nothing but the best in the years ahead!
Thanks for sharing your story with us, Lolly! It’s so sweet. Hope that you guys enjoyed your anniversary, and that you will enjoy many years to come.
Thanks for allowing me to post this on Yarnival!
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