Us playing in the record-amounts of snow over Easter
About Chris
Chris grew up across the C.I. Road from me and I spent many childhood days hanging out with his family (his brother Craig and I are good friends). Though Chris and I wouldn't have spent much time together independently, we always ended up talking a lot over the years.
Chris played a lot of sports growing up and still does whenever he has the chance to join a team. He played lots of hockey as a young man, and baseball too. Throughout middle and high school Chris divided his time between studying, sports, and hanging out with the unusually high number of boys of the same age on Stothart Drive. They played a lot of N64 and also got to be pretty good at making wrestling movies. Some traditions began at this time that still continue today when possible, such as the Back Yard Football League.
The end of grade 12 saw Chris achieve the honour of valedictorian of his class, despite an unfortunately-timed encounter with mono! After high school, we both ended up at Mt. A although I could probably count the number of times I saw him there on two hands! We had different interests, friends, significant others, and residences - and Chris spent a lot of time studying while I think I spent most of my time working at various jobs on campus. He also admits that he only set foot in the Mt. A library about twice.
In his 2nd year he was the co-social chair of Hunton House, an executive position that requires the organization of parties and helping other residences with their large events too. Hopefully those skills will come in handy as we try to plan our wedding! :) Though Chris's best party-planning asset in those days was perhaps the fact that he had a car...
Chris's goal was always to get into medical school, and he spent a lot of time in 4th year and the year after Mt. A flying/driving to interviews at med schools across Canada, and taking on volunteer work, including a lot of time at the Boys and Girls club. I remember talking to Chris on MSN the day that he found out he was accepted to Dal. I was so happy for him since I knew he had worked so hard to get there and that taking the year off was a gamble that wasn't guaranteed to pay off!
I was taking an extra year in Sackville to write my thesis while Chris in his first year in Halifax, and by the end of the year I had decided to begin a Master's program at Dal. We were all at the Black Horse one night talking before I went away for the summer and when I remembered that Chris lived in Halifax, I asked him he needed a roommate, because I didn't have anywhere to live yet or anyone to live with. He said he had a bachelor apartment so he didn't need a roommate, and that was the end of that discussion.
I don't think either of us could have guessed that the next year he would be asking me to move in with him. Though it is kind of funny that we have gone to the same schools all our lives and potentially could have started this year off as roommates, I think we both realize that we were only ready to have this relationship at this point in our lives, and had things gone any differently earlier, it wouldn't have worked out!
So that pretty much catches us up to the present! Chris is about to start his 3rd year of med school, which will be much more demanding and certainly an eye-opener for both of us. So far, he has had spare time (more than this Library student, it seems!), and to relax he likes to read, watch interesting movies, play video games (usually just one for about a week until it is complete, a phenomenon which repeats when a new game comes out! :), and listen to Bob Dylan (and sometimes other music :). Oh and watch Sports Centre, which I am now totally hooked on. We'll see how much relaxing he'll be able to do next year! :O
My favourite things about Chris are his smile (I see it a lot which makes me happy!), his absent-minded singing, and his incredibly consistent kindness. He is always good-natured and easy-going, no matter the situation. He is also quick to say yes to adventures!
Before we started dating, what I always loved about Chris was that we could have conversations for hours about anything, but especially education and school and what we were hoping to get out of it. Even though we were just friends, he was always so encouraging of me and made me feel like I could pursue any path. Looking at the combination of things I knew about Chris as a friend - caring person, interested in others and their thoughts and feelings, incredibly smart, well-read, intellectually interested in music - and the things I've found out since - so happy, so positive, just the most thoughtful and loving boyfriend you could ask for, so willing to always get better - I could not possibly be more excited to be marrying this man!
One last memory - our birthdays are only a day apart and one year at Mt. A, since I was in some Biology classes and curious about lab work, Chris invited me to his lab. He ran an RNA gel and gave it to me as a birthday present. I still have it in a pencil case at home somewhere and it has not held up well over the years! Birthday presents can only get better from there, but you've gotta love someone that unique. :D