Emese(Mesi) grew up in communist Hungary. Wade was born near the banks of the Mississipi river and moved around the Midwest his whole childhood.
Both of our gandfathers fought in World War II. On opposite sides of war.
It seemed unlikely that our paths would ever cross.
December 1995
Mesi was a Freshman studying English literature at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Wade was a Junior majoring in Physics and Mathematics. We both had rooms at a private dorm called "The Langdon" and shared many of the same friends. Mesi thought he was cute, but her heart was otherwise occupied.
Chairs at the Madison Student Union
December 1998
We reconnected. Mesi was single again. He was in graduate school in Columbus, Ohio and just came back in town for a few days to visit friends.
We ended up corresponding via emails and on a "MUD" called Alatia.
March 12 1999
After many late nights of online chatting, Mesi made the impulse decision to fly out to see Wade in Ohio and we discovered we had chemistry. Plus we apparently both thought "There's Something About Mary" was way overrated.
March 24, 1999
Wade flew to Madison this time. We went on our first official date to a Greek place on State Street in Madison. Among other things, we had saganaki, a flaming cheese appetizer.
August 1999
After graduating college, Mesi found a job at McGraw-Hill, luckily located in Columbus, where Wade was attending graduate school.
We learned to swing dance together. Wade took her to a Brian Greene lecture on string theory and Mesi took him to plays like Shockheaded Peter. We screamed together on the rollercoasters of Cedar Point and fed the dolphins at the Cleveland Sea World.
Swing dancing and playing dress up for a "mob party" - 1999
The first time Mesi met Wade's parents she downed an entire boot-sized glass of long island iced tea before going out to dinner. Something so epic, it is talked about with reverance to this day.
Visiting Wade's parents - 1999
Separating for Thanksgiving to our respective families, we admitted we loved each other at the airport.
Young love
August 2000
Wade graduated with a Masters degree and found a job doing 3D graphics programming in San Diego. Mesi quit her job and moved with him to La Jolla, CA.
Soon after moving to California, a friend interviewed us on an outing to Catalina. The following is a trip down memory lane:
By September 2nd, we'll have been together 4912 days. In that time, we've traveled together all over the world from New York to Alaska and from Amsterdam to Cape Town.
Taken on Venice Beach in LA in 1999
So how does a book-worm English major, into poetry and art, fall for a physics geek, into fast cars and technology?
On a trip to Catalina in 2000
What keeps things interesting is that we're always challenging, pushing each other. We get each other to try new things or to think about things differently. We love debating life's big questions. No topic is taboo: politics, religion, or philosophy. We travel together. We laugh together. And we make each other better.
Exploring Budapest
Wandering around New York
Hiking to a remote glacier in Alaska
Over the years, we've had many adventures together. Usually one of us made the other do something they wouldn't have otherwise.
He took her hot air ballooning.
She took him barnstorming.
And with friends, we discovered spelunking and deep sea fishing together.
Getting muddy by crawling around in caves with Clio and John in 2001
Wade arranged so that we could see one of the last shuttle launches in Florida.
Watching Space Shuttle Discovery blast off into space in person, 3 miles from the launch pad
He also got her to go stargazing with him, learn to appreciate Italian sports cars, and try weightlifting.
She got him to see artsy movies, musicals, countless plays, and even ballets.
As she got more and more into photography, he became her patient assistant: bag holder and even foot taxi.
He waited while she jumped from a perfectly good airplane, rappelled down the side of Table Mountain in South Africa, and paraglided off the cliffs in La Jolla.
Mesi has been known to jump out of perfectly good airplanes
Rappelling above Cape Town
Paragliding off the cliffs in La Jolla
She waited for him to race a Lamborghini and Ferrari around a track.
Wade driving a Lambo
We swam with dolphins, played with monkeys, and petted cheetahs together.
Swimmming with dolphins in Mexico
Hanging with some primates in South Africa
He got her hooked on World of Warcraft and Magic.
For the Horde!
She schooled him at Tetris Attack.
His music tastes landed us at Metallica and Marylin Manson concerts. Hers had us at MGMT and Foster the People.
Getting in character for a Marylin Manson concert, August 2007
We learned to snowboard together and dabbled in wine tasting.
Learning to snowboard on Mammoth Mountain in 2004
Winetasting in Paso Robles in 2010
She introduced him to Doctor Who. He countered with Star Trek.
Checking out the TARDIS at Comic-Con
Engage! Make it so.
We spent many date nights watching movies, going out to see stand up comedy like Robin Williams and Louis C.K., or checking out some big productions in Vegas like Penn & Teller or Blue Man Group.
Hanging out with a blue man in Vegas
He got her to go surfing. She got him to go snorkeling with manta rays at night.
We learned to dive together in Mexico.
Learning to scuba in Cancun, Mexico in 2008
She got him into sushi. He got her into steak. We learned to appreciate good food together.
We attended each other's various family reunions and gatherings.
Hanging it out with some Lutgens in Iowa
Celebrating Mesi's grandfather's 90th birthday in Hungary
We've always been able to make each other laugh.
Whatever our differences may be, we're both geeks, adventurers, foodies, gamers, thinkers, and, clearly, lucky to be in love. Sometimes, it's hard to believe it's been 13 years, because not one has been boring.
We both hope that the future holds many more years full of adventures, travels, road trips, thrills, and new discoveries, as well as just quality time snuggling on the couch with our favorite dog while watching a movie.
And we hope to share many of these years with you, our friends and family.
