The Letters...

Tonight I watched the finale of Top Chef Masters. The past two years, as I've worked in a restaurant, I've really become interested in food. I love food, and I'll try anything that is put in front of me, because I don't want to miss an interesting flavor. I love reading about food, watching food shows, studying menus, and looking things up in my food dictionary. Food, not just eating, is such a joy for me and I've come to think that chefs are some of the most interesting, artistic, and talented people that I know.

So tonight, I absolutely loved the final challenge for the Top Chef Masters. They were to cook a four course meal... to coincide with a four letters. They could cook anything they would like, but they had to go along with the stories that the letter told. Two of my favorite things, writing and food. (Being a food critic has become my new dream job), The letters they had to come up with...and cook... were:

A Love Letter
An Apology
A Thank You
A Letter To Yourself

And I've decided that I wanted to write these letters. My thoughts and feelings have been so sporadic and all over the place lately, and these types of things can become very personal, so I think I can only write one letter at a time. So we will start with the love letter... and go from there.

Dear Dan,

There are some things that I just don't know how you tell you, and how much I love you, may be one of them. I also don't know if I've ever told you that I truly, truly believe in love at first sight. I remember the day like it was yesterday. A Friday in April, I had just aced an exam that I drug myself to hung over as hell, I was wearing blue jeans and a maroon and cream striped, really low cut shirt, and I saw you. I walked into the house on Lawn Avenue and suddenly locked eyes with you. You were sitting on a bar stool, wearing blue jeans and a black and white button up shirt, and I fell in love with you. Our story started that night, and now you are soundly sleeping next to me.

Since then we've had quite the story. Many, many adventures. Many high points, a hand full of low points, and just enough drama to keep in interesting. But the story is just beginning.

And that's the best part.

You're my one true love. You make me happy and you are the person I dreamed of being with for my whole life since I started dreaming about my whole life. I don't think that I could ask for anything else and I am so proud of the life we are building together.

When we lived in different cities we used to text we'd text each other, "I love you today," and I know we tell each other now, at least twice a day, that we love each other, but I want you to know, that when I say it half asleep in the morning, in a text, or in passing in the evening as we are brushing our teeth or pulling up our blankets, I really love you.

To the moon and back,

Tracy

That first night, it even looks like, Love At First Site.

What a difference five and a half years can make...