Valentine’s Day is a holiday often marked by red and pink hearts and mushy, heartfelt cliches.
But one old adage “love is a roller coaster” is no cliche for Sean and Jessica Pendleton of Columbus. The Pendleton’s 18-year relationship has been full of ups and downs, twists and turns with no end in sight, but the thrill is still there.
“You can’t sweat the small stuff,” Sean Pendleton, 36, said. That’s what he said has helped them maintain a healthy relationship, which started when Jessica was 16 and Sean was 19.
The two met when Jessica, 33, was in sixth grade. At the time, Sean was best friends with Jessica’s best friend’s brother — like a scene straight out of a ’90s romantic comedy.
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To this day, Jessica even has the handwritten notes from her young teenage self proclaiming her love for Sean.
“It was love at first sight,” Jessica said.
The couple got married on Jessica’s high school graduation day, June 10, 2004. After a small celebration involving pizza and cake, Sean was on his way to Columbus the next day where he worked.
Jessica followed shortly thereafter, and the two lived happily ever after. At least until the challenge of finding a job in a new place — miles from home — started to set in.
“For newer couples, it’s important to be committed to one another — especially during the tough times,” Jessica said.
Fast forward to 2009, Jessica and Sean welcomed their first child into the world: a son named Landon, who is now 9 years old. Jessica and Sean were both in the police academy when they had Landon, which meant when classes overlapped, they had to rely on family to watch their newborn son.
Jessica said these were struggles that sometimes crush people’s relationships if they aren’t handled well, which is where faith comes in.
“Faith has kept us together,” Sean said.
The two couple renewed their vows on their 10-year anniversary — the same day Sean had a kidney stone. And most recently, Sean broke his foot in a dirt bike accident.
“I thought to myself, ‘Man, God really doesn’t want us to be together,’” Jessica said. “It was one thing after another.”
No kidney stone or broken bone could get in the way of the love Jessica and Sean share. It’s that bond that the couple said they try to demonstrate to their son and soon for their daughter, who is expected in June 2019.
“There are people who say, ‘We wish we could find a relationship like you guys,’ “ Jessica said. “It’s hard to even explain what we have, and I can’t think of life any other way.”
