I remember meeting Erica like it was yesterday. It was my second year doing the Ethan and Lou show.

She came in as a guest to the studio, she was a promotional model at the time. She and some of her very pretty girlfriends came into the studio and she stood out immediately.

She was stunning, had a great laugh, and was a little shy. I liked her a lot. I was in a relationship at the time, and she was as well, so obviously, that was that. I did not see her again for many years. This was that day, by the way.

Lou's phone
Lou's phone
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Then, years later, I was filming a TV show in Danbury, and I was excited to learn from our producer that they had cast a really pretty girl to play my girlfriend that day. Erica walked up as my buddy elbowed me in the gut, and said, "Look at this chick." We both knew we recognized each other and spoke for a few minutes. We spent the rest of the day holding hands and flirting, as per the script.

At the end of filming that day, we exchanged phone numbers and I texted her about five minutes after she left and everyday thereafter. She said, "I think we should just be friends." She said that a lot.

One day, I decided to play the friend card. I said, "I know you have a son. I have two boys myself, why don't we get them together for a play date?" That was my only chance to get to know her better. She agreed, and we took the kids to the Bronx Zoo. By the end of the day, we were holding hands again. This time, there was no script. It was real, and my life as I know it now had begun.

Things escalated soon after they jumped up that one notch. We rented a small apartment in New Milford, we got married, we moved to Danbury, and we had our daughter Vida in February.

We are not well-off financially, we have problems like every couple and every family. We argue about money, how we treat each other, and how to improve the kids' lives. We argue about the right things, though. We both want the best for our family, we play every down, and even when we disagree, we are a team.

Someone is looking out for me, because I was given the gift of a person who truly cares for me. Erica is smart, gorgeous, funny, caring, and has the world's best laugh. That shy, super hot girl that I wondered about years ago is now my wife and my best friend. She is, and always will be, the love of my life.

Happy anniversary, Erica. All I can give you is a promise to do my best everyday and a few laughs. Thankfully, that is all you have ever asked of me. I love you.

Lou's phone
Lou's phone
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Lou's phone
Lou's phone
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Lou's phone
Lou's phone
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