New York, New York!

When we first talked about meeting up with each other many months ago, we thought about doing so in New York. At the time we decided it would be better for us to experience more of a "normal" day, so I visited with Julianna in her hometown in Spanish Fork. Who could have guessed, but here we are a few months later - in New York!

Let me tell you if you haven't been there: New York is a BIG city! And there are people EVERYWHERE, no matter what time a day. No wonder they call it the city that never sleeps. A late night dinner? No problem! Just don't get stuck on the subway afterwords....

The Statue of Liberty is a sight to see, and it's pretty cool at Ellis Island where you can learn about the history of immigration to the U.S. However, if you want a day full of adventure and random experiences, take a walk in Central Park by day or Times Square at night. Our favorite was Central Park, offering everything from sports, chess, and merry-go-rounds to quiet places where you can sit and talk or listen to a concert. We even met up with a good old Scandinavian friend, Hans Christian Anderson. Truly a wonderful day!

Visiting Julianna's cousin or meeting up with Tarjei's friend, Tone, was also fun, but when all is said and done, the best part of this whole experience was the time we could spend together just the two of us.

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How do we make it work?

A couple of days ago Julianna and I shared with each other some thoughts about why we feel we are ‘the right one’ for each other. Without going into details, as they would not mean as much to the world as they do to us personally, I would like to take the opportunity to share some of the things that have helped us make this relationship blossom.

If you have read any other part of our blog, or you already know Julianna, you should be able to tell what a wonderful and special woman she is. She has always put me before herself and constantly expressed how much she cares for me, believes in me and loves me. Realizing that although our backgrounds are more similar than we could have thought, there still is a difference in our approach to life, and so she has always made an effort to understand my opinions. Never has she sought to put me down or ridicule the way I think.

Gentle communication, expressed belief and trust, daring to share concerns and daring to listen to concerns and accepting advice are key ingredients that practiced on a daily basis have made us grow closer together. Julianna is a true friend to whom I can trust my heart. In fact, I think my heart is taken better care of in her hands than in my own.

And then there are the funny little quirks that add spice to life. They are such great opportunities for us to grow, but also to feel that the other one is a real person with real challenges. Sometimes in moments like these we feel closer to each other than ever before. It brings me comfort to know that Julianna understands that I am not perfect, and that she still loves me!