Sometimes it’s hard to go back to a place you look upon with great nostalgia and affection. Sam Francisco has been my favorite city since first visiting in 2007. It’s where I frolicked as a 26 year old with my then boyfriend, Michael. We took a helicopter ride, went to a Giants game, went wine tasting and walked through the city hand in hand. 

I said yes in this city. Yes to marrying a man who has shown me more in the past eight years than I ever could have expected. Yes to love, adventure, travel, laughter, experience. Yes to a good life.

So many things with Mike start with saying yes. Yes, I will buy a house with you after only dating a year and a half. Yes I will marry you. Yes I will buy a boat with you. Yes, let’s buy a second house and oh yes, an RV too. And yes, yes, let’s drive it across the country. 

Saying yes is risky. It’s an affirmation often into the unknown, the uncharted. It can give you a bellyache and butterflies at the same time. Saying yes can humble you more than you expect. 

But saying yes has brought me some of the best experiences and people of my life. Saying yes has changed me. For the better. 

Yesterday, we walked around this city as a family and it felt incredible. I thought coming here with two kids and six bags and a double stroller and sunscreen and juice boxes and crackers would tarnish my affection for this city. It did nothing of the kind. It brought new meaning and new value to this place we love. We shared our place with two people who loved it just as much. We did new things like Fisherman’s Wharf and Ghiradelli Square, we ate fried fish (don’t tell Parker, we told him it was chicken!) and huge ice cream sundaes. We watched the trolleys race past and watched street performers. The city is the family’s city, not just ours as a couple. We have new memories now and they even richer than the ones of old.