'Perfect for me'

Written by Sonja Ehlers on how she met her Valentine, Gary Ehlers:

I have the most wonderful man who is my whole world, who isn’t perfect but is perfect for me, who works hard and would do anything for me, who makes me laugh, who is my best friend, who I want to grow old with, and who I am thankful for every day!! And this is our story...

Our story began 14 years ago when an unlikely couple from opposite sides of the country met and fell in love. I being a Nebraska native had found my way to New Mexico through work and he being born and raised in Buffalo New York headed out west to get out of the snow. When we look back at the decisions we made as individuals that led us to meet in New Mexico it feels like we took the right path – the one less traveled.

Though it was love at first sight and I was intrigued to find such a man in New Mexico I had to make sure he was a Huskers fan, drank coffee and enjoyed a good steak. On the other hand I was tested on my hockey knowledge and the Buffalo Bills, as well as my ability to eat extremely hot chicken wings! Who we become and what are values are, are often defined by how we were raised. Strong Irish roots were our common ground, which led to many late night conversations around a cup of coffee and Baileys.

Over the last 14 years our careers have taken us to Colorado, Michigan, New Hampshire and back home in Nebraska. We were blessed to have two beautiful girls enter our lives while we were in New Hampshire. While raising kids adds additional complexity to a relationship, we both have always subscribed to the fact, “before there were kids there was US and without US there would be no kids!”

We have been very fortunate to share many different experiences together; time at the ocean, ice climbing in Ouray, fishing in the Gulf, working out together and raising our children just to name a few. He is my best friend, and at times my only friend as we adventured together.

Each time we moved it has added strength to our relationship; we had to rely on each other and offer unconditional support for the decision to move and the location where we landed. While we don’t have all the relationship answers and have experienced “for better and for worse” (more on the better) throughout the last 14 years, one of many things we learned along the way is to keep each other first and not let life’s noise cloud what is really important – each other.

And all this happened because two people fell in love… and the journey continues!