Happy Anniversary To Me!

Today's my 7th wedding anniversary.

Where has the time gone?

I find it difficult to understand how time has really flown by. I remember getting married back in 2002 (it's a little hazy but I have photos!). We bought a house that year. 2003 were my "running days". 2004, got pregnant, gave birth in 2005. 2006 and '07 are a blur (with a kid, that's a given). 2008, got pregnant again and gave birth by year end...

And here we are in 2009.

I wanna say I'd like to celebrate our 7th anniversary, but it's a moot point when we've been together for almost 18 years.

Yes, high school sweethearts. I've been with the man in my life for longer than I haven't been. We went to the same high school; I remember seeing him in Grade 8 across the hallway at his locker. No, it wasn't love-at-first-sight (he may disagree), but he was cute: aren't all red heads? Something about that fiery colour and quirky freckles does something to me. Well, I had a Raggedy Andy rag doll which I still shared the same bed with, so I did have a penchant for red heads for as long as I can remember.

And, yes, we were band geeks (why my love for the show Glee is growing fervently!). Technically, he was the band geek, playing trumpet, while I was rocking with the guitar club -- I migrated over to the vocal jazz and chamber ctoir soon afterwards. We went on a week-long music department field trip by bus in the Spring of Grade 10, when he tried to "talk to the cute girl" and introduced her to the styling rhymings of Flava Flav and his Public Enemy crew (he was a wanna-be white boy rapper, back in the day!). I don't think I ever returned his cassette tape!

We wouldn't talk again until Grade 11. There, we sorta went our separate ways, so conversations were pretty limited: I, the Honour Roll student, taking every single accelerated class I can fit in my schedule, and he, trying not to flunk out of English and Math, tired from early morning hockey practices and evening bowling leagues (yes, he was a 5-pin bowler!).

Another summer would pass and still no contact. He phoned me once, and I wasn't home, and I phoned once, and he was out too. I guess we couldn't be bothered to try a second time.

So, come Grade 12, he was determined to get to know me better. After spending 4 hours on the phone, watching the movie Space Balls "together" -- to this date, THE longest conversation we shared, married or not :P -- our first date ensued (saw My Girl, where he cried and I didn't -- the first of many movies where he would shed a tear while stoic-me would roll my eyes). A second date a week later would culminate in an awkward first kiss and a "would you be my girlfriend" request. I obviously meant "yes" but I seem to recall shrugging "why not?".

We would date -- I kid you not! -- for another 10 years before he proposed to me. I know not many people would have waited, but given that we started seeing each other rather early in our lives, and with my university and post-grad studies and my career, only the last couple of those years were dragging.

We've had our ups and downs before and during marriage, but it's been good, overall. He's a part of me, regardless of how crazy he drives me when he's drunk, tries to be a handyman, tries to avoid being a handyman, when he's drunk again. As a testament to his nature, he has many friends who find him indispensable, and sharing him with the world has been one of my many trials.

He appreciates me, I know he does: we'd be swimming in socks and underwear in the living room if it weren't for me. All kidding aside, today of all days, I at least get an honest-to-goodness I Love You.

"The best seven years of my life" he told me today.

Aww, shucks...who would've known that a "why not" would have led to something so good.

Happy Anniversary, Honey!