Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Happy 8 years!

Year One June 98- June 99
When you first meet someone it’s always an exciting time it took over 6 months of talking over the phone and internet before Jacky and I finally went on our first date. Looking back, as exciting as it was year 1 wasn’t easy. I had to keep it a secret from mum because she thought I was too young to date, and Jacky’s mum – well let’s just say that I wasn’t her favourite person. When I think back to this year I remember studying at the State Library, Bailey’s and milk, #Belair, the bracelet and falling in love.

Year Two June 99 – June 00
My year 12 formal, Jacky cutting his hair really short, Schoolies, the Olympics and Brisbane.

This was also the year that the Olympic Games came to Sydney. Mum made the dress that Olivia Newton John wore at the opening ceremony and Jacky and I bought tickets to watch the basketball. Homebush is a part of history and so are we, in the heart of Sydney Olympic Park is a place called Fig Grove where you will see a foot path made of individual red bricks. On these bricks are either the names of the athletes or messages. As a gift, Jacky bought me one of these bricks and cemented in our brick is the message Jacky Loves Emily 4 Eva. If you are ever in Homebush go have a look.

Year Three June 00 – June 01
For our one year anniversary Jacky bought me a gold diamond eternity band, about another year later I dropped the ring into the car’s air conditioning vent – I was devastated and I never expected to see the ring again especially when the car was later sold. It was somewhere in between that Jacky had the car taken apart without my knowledge, he kept it a secret for a long time. On our 3 year anniversary I received a little box and inside was my ring, you can only imagine how happy and how special I felt.

Year Four June 01 – June 02
Work, study, work, study, work! That pretty much summarised our year. At some point we decided that we wanted to travel the world and to do so comfortably we needed no less than $10,000 we gave ourselves 12 months to save. We worked our bums off!! With up to 4 jobs at any one time whilst still studying fulltime.

The job that I remember the most would be working at the Royal Easter Show. Jacky was a runner moving boxes and topping up stands with show bags whilst I worked at the big Candy World stand wearing a M&M jumper selling show bags to screaming kids. The hours were long (7:00am to 10:00pm) with 15 hr days for 2 weeks straight! Jacky would come home all sunburnt and I battled with blisters from standing for so long.

Year Five June 02 – June 03
I’d have to say that this was one of the happiest and most fulfilling period of time in our lives. After a lot of hard work and planning Jacky and I saved enough money to go on our First world trip together. In a 3 month period we went to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Toronto, Ottawa, New York, London, Paris, Hong Kong, China, Bangkok and Pattaya.

Travelling can get stressful especially when we leave our comfort zone to explore the unknown. We were tired, broke and had to carry around 3 months worth of luggage on our backs. This trip really allowed us to test how we interacted as a couple and surprisingly we passed with flying colours.

One of the coolest things happened during our stay in Vegas, the reception lady at the Aladdin Hotel thought that Jacky and I were honeymooners (because we were wearing matching rings at the time) she upgraded our room for the cheapest one to the second most expensive! For uni students who had no money – this felt like some one had just handed us a million dollar cheque, the lady’s name was Jill and her simple act of kindness I will remember for a life time.

Travelling opened our eyes to a whole new world; it was especially rewarding because we worked so hard and long to get there. It was in the middle of Time Square on New Years Eve at the stroke of midnight that I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I stood there and cried and cried and cried (bawling my eyes out for no particular reason); Jacky stood there with me just holding my hand.

Year Six June 03 –June 04
Graduation, full time work and Melbourne for the first time.

Year Seven June 04 – June 05
The year of our second big trip where we were suppose to go to Japan (Tokyo), Hong Kong, China, Bangkok, Malaysia, Phuket. We made it as far as China before the rest of the trip was cancelled due to the Tsunami.
Japan was excellent and by going there we finally fulfilled a life long dream (every Chinese person wants to see Japan at some stage!). Later in the same year we took my family for a driving holiday along Great Ocean Rd. The scenery was stunning and it was very reassuring to see how well Jacky got along with my family.
Reaching year 7 was a great feeling, we had dinner with our friends to celebrate, they even bought us a cake!

Year Eight June 05 – June 06
This has been without doubt the best year for us. Changes have happened very quickly and I think our relationship has reached another level. It’s also been a year of commitment, it’s one thing knowing that we’d probably spend the rest of our lives together but it’s another when you actually take steps to lock it in. We’re ecstatic about our new house and the whole process of building a home (from finding the place to fitting it out) is indescribable. Every hurdle that comes our way we tackle together, my weaknesses are his strengths and together we are an unbeatable force that always accomplishes what we set out to do.


Wishing you a very Happy Birthday and Anniversary.
Love you!


(I couldn't decide what cake to buy you...so I bought you many!)

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

8 years...

So like, when are you guys getting married?

*crickets chirp*

(Sorry Ems, thought i'd get it out of the way before anyone else asks).

Happy anniversary! Hope the next 80 years are as good as the first 8 :)

PS Has your anniversary and JC's birthday always been the same day? I always thought they were 3 days apart.

PiCkLeS said...

Viv: Thank you thank you! I remember your anniversary being around this time too.

Sophia: Sophia Chong!

Ok for the record everyone there are no wedding plans, we've only just bought a house so it's going to take a while to save $20k + for a wedding. Before, I always associated marriage with moving out, but seeing mum has given us her blessing it doesn't really matter any more. One step at a time aye?

Yeh our anniversary has always been on the same day as Jacky's birthday although in yr 1 we did try to move it to 1 week after (i.e. 27th but it was just a bit silly).

lil_lamies said...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY you two. Its so sweet, I loved the post, and got a little teary I think ;)

oxo
Lisa

trish said...

Em,

happy happy wonderful crazy beautiful warm fuzzy eight anniversary =) You guys have been through so much and it's so awesome to see you guys have just grown closer and closer through everything!

all the best with all the rest of the exciting things happening this year and all the stuff that's in store for the future. you're a lucky girl, and jacky is one lucky man!

<3

SoRMuiJAi said...

Awwwwww Happy anniversary! Its always great to see how rock solid your relationship is! Gives everyone something to envy about!

NfOrCeR said...

Happy Anniversary Emipoos and Jacky! :)

It's been a long long time. Good ol #belair days. High school. Uni. The memories. ah those were the days.


*tumbleweed*
*wedding bells in the distance*
:P

Anonymous said...

happy bday Jacky...its amazing what irc did back those days :P

8 years..long time :)

Sarah said...

Its crazy!!!

A very Happy Anniversary to the both of you and congratulations on the house!!!

Cheers to many more years to come....its always nice to sit and reflect and appreciate what you have....it gives everything a new special meaning!!

Kisses and see y'all soon

Goose Remix said...

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW...

[Rolls around from being too full at the sweetness of it all]

Congrats! Eight years - wow...

reverendtimothy said...

I think...

I think...

I think I'm gonna be sick! Someone grab me a bucket! Hahahahaha. Really folks, eight years?! My God! That's a prison sentence for some offences! :-P

Haha, OK, I'll be serious now.

That's really sweet. Especially the whole finding-the-ring-and-keeping-it-secret-bit.

You two are really lucky to have each other. ;-) Congratulations!

And heh, you two are SO getting married! :-P Hahahahaha.

Anonymous said...

I still remember that day 8 years ago in Ms Miro's English class, when we sat around and discussed whether you should date JC! Happy Anniversary you two. May there be many more happy memories ahead.

lots of love
B

petals said...

oh, you guys are so cute!

i've said this before, countless times, you guys are made for eachother and i promised Jacky way back when, that you two would get married and be together forever!

i am happy that your relationship is so solid. like Lil said, it gives everyone something to envy. but it also gives everyone a glimpse of what a good relationship should be and hope that what you have actually exists.

seeing my friend in the same situation as you (bought house first) is now engaged and is making plans for her wedding next year...i would predict that the two of you should be married by the time you turn 28...possibly sooner!
;)

PiCkLeS said...

Joel: Thanks and congrats on your 7 years!! it's great seeing other success stories! Massive thumbs up for your anniversary suprise!!! sooo impressed!

Lisa: Thanks...time flies.

Trish: You and Joel make a fantastic couple and i wish you all the best!

Lils: It has been hard work at times, but I'm glad that we've both hung in there.

Joel: yes good old #belair though i'm sure that you joined us later and i knew you through #sths?

Mingos: hhaha yes and to think that i've known you since before jacky and i started going
out...long time ago!

Sarah: hahha i'm sure you still remember the time when I was working at your mum's and you kept telling me "he's nice you should go out with him". Little did i know that the date will continue for another 8 years.

Cong: you are a strange individual...i remember when you use to think that i was a guy! I think i still have 499 access!! I should try login if Z is still there. And No, NO MINICHANS in the near furture! That's why we bought cream couches! The Yong's will probably have the first #belair babies or maybe even...*eyes Ming*

Hoi: hahah thanks I just somehow can't imagine you rolling around hahha.

Tim: oh please...i've known you to be a Mr Romantic yourself! Picnics on the cliffs!

Betty: Miss Miro's English class..where anything besides english was discussed hahha. It's a suprise that we all did so well seeing that we never did any actual work!

Christine: hahah thanks. I'm too excited about the house to even think about a wedding. I guess there's no rush for us really, I still have all my older cousins getting married first so i will politely wait in line =P

mushroom said...

aww thats sooooo cute!

Ayako1984 said...

*joins the chorus* Aww. =) I'm green. Omedetou gozaimasu.

princess_party said...

what a sweet post! congrats you too =D =D

the 7 year anni cake with your pictures on it is too cute hehe

8 is THE lucky number..so i predict that something very special will happen in this 8th year hehhee!

Anonymous said...

AHAHA..um..leave me out of this baby factory stuff you got going on.

NfOrCeR said...

haha yes asiacafe, sths, belair.. all the same really :)

funny that, emily's the only one with 499 access too! :P

and now we're becoming neighbours! that's just too freaky. Now look who's stalking who aye!!! :P

Anonymous said...

Wow.... you guys kind of blow my mind, you have no idea right now...


all i can really say is congratulations.

PiCkLeS said...

Muz: Thanks

Amanda: i understand jap! heheh

Cynth: hahha I told him to not bother asking till he can buy me a big rock. I'm not so sure =P
The cake was really sweet! was kinda funny when it got to the stage where we had to chop our heads off.

Ming: can't get away from it no matter how hard you try!

Joel: You're not actually THAT close!

Mark: Thanks!

Natasha said...

*sobs* this is the best post i've ever read, anywhere, ever! congratulations guys, you have warmed the very cockles of my heart (hehe, cockles)

AteLate said...

What a great milestone ! Congratulations Jacky & Emily. Photos are always a great reminder of what we have been through to get to where we are. There will be plenty more to come....hehehe with little Jacky/Emily running around. ;-P

PiCkLeS said...

Tash: cockles indeed =x

ivan: stop picking up lady men and come home!

Kate: Thank you!

James: No James NO!

Anonymous said...

wow!!
how lucky are you
i am inspired.