Pressed, polished and positively squeamish.

We left in a rush, as always. Bickering about how he has to be so OCD about checking the house before we leave for the weekend. But as we pulled out of the drive setting out on yet another new experience, I squinted in the sunlight, he handed me my sunglasses and smiled his redeeming, quirky smile. I was reminded that his quirks are what made me fall in love with him.

He smoothed the creases on his fitted white dress shirt as I ran the barrel of my curling iron through my hair one last time. He had all the clothes ready on hangers, pressed and creased in all the right places. He even pressed his undershirt. 

It was Saturday and unlike all the other days that week, the sun wasn't shining. I was in the tiny guest bathroom of our best friend's house in Columbus, sipping down the last of a bottle of lager. Noon or not, I needed the liquid confidence. We were about to embark on a new nerve-wracking, and once in a life time experience.We've been together for over 6 years. When we met, I knew I loved him but at the time I wasn't planning my life. I never thought about where I would be in 5, 6, 7 years time...Every time we experience something new together, I'm in awe by where we are. This was no different.

I swiped the slick red lipstick across my lips and flipped the visor mirror back to it's place. This wasn't something we were used to, the sparkle and glamour on the other side of a shoot. It IS something we know and love, but through the tiny viewfinder of our own cameras, not our reflections. We had arrived at the yoga studio where we were about to be on the other side of our own profession. Nervous was an understatement. 

We grabbed our handful of hangers, a freshly pressed suit, a little black dress and of course our stand by skinny jeans. We grinned a goofy grin at each other as we walked across the street and as soon as we walked in the door the nerves went away. I saw Claire and Todd who were just as easy going as I can only hope Justin and I are when we're shooting. And Justin and I were as ironed out and polished as our outfits. I can't tell you what it was that made it all ok; what it was that made the chaos, the tension and nerves collapse but I like to believe it was the moment Justin smiled his quirky smile at me from the corner of the room.