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When my mom was pregnant with me, a lot of people thought she was having a boy. I was supposed to be Daniel, so when I was born, I threw everyone for a loop and to this day, I still do!

I arrived at New York Hospital on February 24, 1978. My dad was so taken aback during my delivery that he almost fainted and was removed from the delivery room. Thankfully, he eventually recovered.

I spent my early childhood (until age 8) living in New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. A true child of the 1980s, I loved Madonna, Michael Jackson, Cabbage Patch kids, and E.T.  I thought Pop-Tarts were a delicacy and I enjoyed wearing Band-Aids to make a decorative statement. When I was 8 years old, my parents divorced, but we all lived near each other in Manhattan while I was growing up.

I went to LaGuardia High School for Music & Art & Performing Arts (the "Fame" school) and studied drama for 4 years. I enjoyed acting, but decided I didn't want to make a career out of it - many years of waiting tables did not appeal to me. Over the years, I was involved in a variety of extra curricular activities, such as horseback riding, gymnastics, journalism, and dance. The funny thing is, I never stuck to anything until I met Sam.

I attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which is where I met Sam. Being Mrs. Robinson in true form, I am 16 months older. We first met in French class, and I actually thought he might be too young for me to date. Now I see that he's like a fine wine...he gets better with age!

Even though the movie came first, we did not purposely mimic "When Harry Met Sally." It just happened. But, like Harry Burns and Sally Albright, it took us 12 years, and here we are. Studying a foreign language can be so rewarding!

I was born June 1st, 1979 in Denver, Colorado to Jeffrey and Jean Robinson.  I lived there until the age of 8, at which point my parents divorced.  My father stayed in Denver for a while and then moved to Boulder, and my mother moved to the burbs (Englewood) after a few years.

Growing up I was involved in sports (mostly tennis), but, occasionally, I would venture into uncharted territory - I swam for a semester of high school.  One could safely say that that entire season was not my finest hour!  Neither was wrestling or basketball, but at least I gave it a shot! Finally, I decided to settle on tennis.  I played four years on my varsity high school team and recreationally in college.  After college I joined a couple of tennis clubs, and I play there to this day.

I was also interested in music, starting with the guitar.  The best part about that was going to "Round the Corner" afterwards with my dad for a guacamole burger.  So I quit the guitar and took up piano.  That was ok, until my piano teacher, an old Romanian lady, fired me for refusing to cut my nails and looking constantly at the clock to see if our lesson was over.  My mother was heartbroken - until I finally took up the trumpet.  I played in jazz bands, marching bands, brass bands and funk bands.  I've never left it since.

Why am I telling you this?  I'm not sure.  Maybe it's because once I find something I love, I stick with it.  I met Elizabeth my freshman year of college.  Our relationship didn't evolve beyond friendship that year, but we stayed in touch during our relationships with other people.  When those people vanished from our lives, we found each other again, and after living together for a couple of years we are taking the next step.  I guess that while some things in life come and go, the best ones manage to stay with you through thick and thin.  While I can't predict the future, I feel more than confident saying that, in the words of the famous composer, "our love is here to stay."

(1989) When Harry Met Sally...

(1997) When Elizabeth Met Sam...

It's somewhat ironic that my future married name will be "Mrs. Robinson," considering that when Sam and I met, he was 18 and I was 19. He was a freshman and I was a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. We were enrolled in the same French class, which consisted of 12 students, and everyone sat in the same spot each day. I remember thinking that Sam was adorable, but it was hard for me to approach him because the same exact girl sat next to him every day! Could I blame her?  ;)

Then, one day, it happened.....she was absent!!  I went over and sat right next to Sam. We started talking and began hanging out and studying together. Starbucks (by the fire) was our favorite spot. After about a month, he asked me out and I said no. Truth be told, I wanted to go out with him, but I was afraid to ruin the special connection I felt. It was early in college and we were both so young. I was worried that if we dated at that moment, things would not work out. It was not the right time, as they say. 

So we remained friends, through a study abroad experience, different college graduations, and first jobs in Milwaukee and New York City. While I stayed in New York to find myself, Sam's teaching career took him to Oak Park, Illinois. Once he secured a bachelor pad, I went to visit him...and boy, was that an experience! I'm no Martha Stewart, but I was definitely "awakened' to bachelor living. Sam's minimalistic taste left us with 1 fork, 1 bowl, and no bathmat. Be that as it may, during my second or third visit our relationship evolved and we started dating. After awhile, we decided to try the "long-distance relationship." O'Hare and Laguardia airports witnessed much activity during this time. When we realized it was time to share the same zip code, I was fortunate enough to get a terrific teaching job in a Chicago suburb. It was time to clean out my Manhattan storage unit, say goodbye to my family and friends, and move out to Illinois. We lived together for one year, and then Sam proposed. So here we are!