The Adventures of Team Johnston: A Decade....

A Decade...

It sounds so long ago... but sure doesn't feel like it.

EXACTLY 10 years ago was the first time that Chris and I met. I remember that day (and the days following) like it was yesterday.

The TEAM CANADA passion was alive and well during the 2002 Winter Olympics. 2 days earlier, the Women's Hockey team won a gold medal. Yahooooo! The next day the Men's team would go on to play in the gold medal game.

Let's be serious... I didn't really care about hockey. But Chris REEEEAAAAALLLLLYYYY did (does).

We were out at a classy local establishment. It shall remain nameless... but I'll tell you it rhymes with Fezzies. ;) The crowd was chanting, "Go Canada, GO!!" and many high fives were being exchanged. The olympic fever was spreading.

Chris and his cousin Cam were out... sporting their Team Canada Shirts. They looked EXACTLY like this (except it was grey... like you even care about that though):

I am the queen of High Fives! Chris thought that meant, "I like you, wanna dance?" But really it just meant, "I'm in the same square foot as you." But after a couple of laps around "Fezzies" these random high fives became very intentional.

The night carried on. The high fives kept coming. The fun didn't stop. The very next day, the Men's Hockey team went on to whoop team USA in the gold medal game. WHAAAAMMMMYYYYYYY!!!! We've kind of been olympic junkies ever since.... well, maybe TEAM CANADA junkies. 3 years after we met, we got engaged. 6 months after that we sealed our vows with a kiss and a HIGH FIVE (and some signatures too.... gotta keep it legal).

10 years later (today), I met Cassie Campbell, the captain of the women's team ('02 and '06). I told her our story and she was very touched by it. She agreed that it doesn't seem like 10 years have gone by since that time. Cassie was a keynote speaker at the Teacher's Convention... and her story about overcoming in the tough times and learning from challenges was moving and powerful. She spoke about being a team no matter what... and making sure that there was one person in the world that would still love you even if you went on national TV and made a fool of yourself... and realizing that although you don't always get the glamourous jobs that get the recognition they deserve (hello?? parenting??), that you are contributing to the team. She spoke of not letting fear or insecurity get in the way of great opportunities... kind of like the time that we took a leap of faith and travelled to the 2010 Olympics (although I was 35 weeks pregnant and not in the best condition to travel... or walk 56,000 km per day... uphill both ways).

Cassie's entire keynote address was a great analogy for our marriage. We really are a team.... not team Canada... but "Team Johnston." Clearly, I'm the captain... but someone's gotta make the assists. ;)