Happy Anniversary

Today is our pseudo-wedding anniversary.

Actually, Pooks and I never had a wedding (for that, I thank my pre-wedding pregnancy and Mejii-MIL's wedding boycott). Instead, we eloped on Leap Day in the New Millenium (or technically the last year of the Old Millenium). So every four years on 2/29, we celebrate our true wedding anniversary. I wanted to celebrate it only every four years, but Pooks convinced me that our anniversary should be celebrated every year, so we chose 2/28.

We had our shotgun wedding at the botanical garden in Land Park. Just my mom, my good friend and sworn in justice-of-the-peace Good Mikey, Pooks, and a very, very 6-month pregnant me (I guess you could say BedHeadSid was there...).

That year, like this, it had rained every night for almost a week and things were very wet, grey, and melancholy at times. The ominous weather, Mejii-MIL's wedding boycott, and my pregnancy hormones rendered me an emotional wreck, and I wondered if getting married was the right thing to do.

I had my doubts about getting married to Pooks: 1) we'd never discussed marriage before, 2) his proposal ("I suppose we should do the right thing and get married") was less (far less) than ideal (did I mention that he was drunk and I was high?), 3) we lived paycheck to paycheck and hadn't a red cent to our name, 4) we lived in a bohemian studio amongst some of the partying-est, albeit interesting, bohemians, and most importantly, 5) we didn't know where the fuck we were going in life.

Hardly he nor I were the marrying type. And yet we did.

Here we are seven years later, the appointed stage of the "Seven Year Itch," and I can say with a clear conscience that, hooking up for life with Pooks was the best thing that happened to me. Although we've had our rough patches, we've come this far, and in retrospect, I am the better for it.

Thank you Pooks for sharing your single bed, your meager yet nourishing food, your humble and bare home; for listening to my woes and bullshit yet being kind nevertheless; for being my best friend at my darkest hour and for being my staunchest supporter at my finest hour. Thank you for not minding that the house is a mess 60% or more of the time (really!). Thank you for working so hard for our family. Thank you for telling me everyday how much you love coming home to your family. Thank you for telling me how much you love me everyday; even when I have no make up on; even though I've gained 50+ pounds, outweigh you by 10, and can pin you down in 5; even when the hair on my legs are longer than yours.

(writtten 3/1)
Lastly, thank you for last night. Our anniversary date was everything I wished it to be. We enjoyed each other's company, had some tasty hor d'oevres and libations, and watched a thoroughly captivating art house film that we talked about for hours afterward (Pan's Labyrinth was a magical ride and fully deserved the oscars/nominations). I was smittened by you still; you made my heart flutter and caused me to blush many a time last night. After all these years...

Did I do right by marrying you Pooks? Absolutely, without a doubt, with all my heart, I love you and know we were meant to be. The universe willed it and it took over a decade for me to understand it.

Me love you long time, Pookie.