Happy Birthday to My Very Best Buddy

I know I've shared this before, but it's too much fun not to share it again - Third grade at Clyde C. Hadden Elementary

​Today is my wife's birthday. I know I've shared pieces of our story before, but here's the short version. We met in second grade when my parents bought their first house in a new school district. It was November and Sheila was assigned by the principal to show me around the new school. She took me past the boy's room and cafeteria and figured that was all I needed to know.

We went all through elementary, junior high and high school together, but had different friends. We knew each other, just ran in different circles - she was a cheerleader, and I was a nerd. Need I say more? 

I went back to Painesville, Ohio for our 40th reunion and we hung out together. No romance, just two new friends wandering all over town, past our old homes, favorite hang-outs and even into the high school with a group of classmates. That's where the friendship started and grew. We moved in together almost two years later and got married a year after that.

Well, here we are having shared over ten years together, almost eight as a married couple. Many of you have met Sheila at Skip's Summer School, WPPI, IUSA, ShutterFest, PhotoPro Expo, Marathon's MAP Getaway and a long list of industry events. In fact, there have only been two trips when she wasn't by my side over the last decade.

So, Mrs. Cohen, at the risk of getting incredibly sappy in the public eye, thank you for being my partner, best buddy, muse, inspiration, guiding light, therapist, business partner and a never-ending supply of laughs, smiles and adventures that have made this chapter of my life's journey so amazing.

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