Today is our second anniversary, and we find ourselves newly planted in New York City. For me, being here is an actualization of a dream since I was in high school. For him, the city is a perfect fit for his career aspirations. For both of us, it’s a new chapter. This city is bursting at the seams with opportunity. We feel we’re in the right place at the right time to push each other towards our best selves while enjoying the perks of the world’s best food and drink, entertainment, museums, and art.

Two years ago, New York was nowhere in sight. We were headed for the hills in North Dakota. Four months later, we woke up in South Carolina with our future plans at ground zero. We fell into a bit of a mid-20s crisis.

In response, I worked at an interior design firm, indulging in my creative interests, while Adam soul-searched. I know it was unconventional – working while Adam frequented coffee shops, went on lunch dates galore, and attended “cigar therapy”. It seems even odder now as I write it, but I fully supported Adam’s quest to determine his best path forward. I knew that every latté was one conversation closer to clarifying his vision, and it has already paid dividends. Against all odds, Adam was offered an opportunity with a finance firm to acquire invaluable skills not yet in his portfolio. I’m uber proud of him, and we are elated to be here.

We’re elated, but we’re not naive to the challenges that follow transplants from sweet, small towns like Greenville, SC to the big city. Rather, I should say we’re elated and mindful of the tasks at hand. Everyone made it clear that New York would be expensive, inconvenient, frigid in the winter, sweltering in the summer, and then more expensive again. After two weeks adjusting to the city’s quirks, we set our budget and confirmed that all you people are right! However! The money that we have or don’t have now is not nearly as relevant as to the reason why we are here. As much as we love to wine and dine, we moved in order to learn and grow. Money can come later. Security can come later. We are currently in a short term, sublet lease, and while we literally have no idea where we’ll be living in two months, (in returning to our theme) I feel we are more unencumbered than ever.

Adam started work on Monday two weeks ago. One day and 100 lbs of luggage later, I joined him. Hamilton and Taylor Swift’s “Welcome to New York” played on repeat during my flight while I stared out the window. Feeling determined to not throw away my shot and giddy with excitement for bright lights (but they’ll never blind me), a million sporadic thoughts swirled through my head. Then it hit me.

This is why I married him. I paused and allowed a moment to let it sink in. I couldn’t help but smile. I love him so much, because he doesn’t shy away from risks and because he mindfully pushes himself and those around him to break boundaries, be better, explore more, and achieve more. For all these reasons, I love him and am just as thrilled to do life with him today as I was two years ago.

When I said I would follow him to the moon, he asked me if I really wanted to go to the moon.

“Yes!”

In true Adam fashion, he responded,

“Yeah… but what about Mars?”

Happy Anniversary Baby! #bestpowellsforlife Today and forever and all the way to Mars.