Lucky

So for the past week now I have wanted to blog about the amazing man I call "husband." We celebrated eight years of wedded bliss over a week ago. Remember Cinco de Mayo? If you do, then that sucks. If you don't, I hate you. Anyway, Cinco de Mayo is our anniversary. Pretty easy, huh?! But, after having an ever so sweet mini-conversation about blogging and how 'No, it really isn't a waste of my time because its so quick, honey' with said husband, I have been procrastinating. The reason being, I had these grandiose ideas to put pictures of us when we first me and each year after to show the progression of our love and actual entrance into adulthood.

Eight years. Yep. Really. Still trying to figure out why we got married so young? Olivia is 5, so you can't blame her. I think it's because we needed to. We would be disasters today if we hadn't. However, we were mere fetuses when we tied the knot and even more young and naive when we met and said 'I love you.' Instead of toasting with champagne at our wedding, we had sparkling cider. Stupid. I know. So how did we celebrate? We got the hell out of the good ol' USA and headed to Mexico to belly up!

So instead of a collage of pictures, which maybe I'll get to tonight, I decided to write The Story of Our Love. Without further adieu...

Act 1 ~
Lisa, a young, confident woman of 18 with short brown hair, trying to appear studious and oh-so-intelligent, diligently reads over her Anthropology textbook in a quaint, but slightly bustling corner of the Student Union Building (SUB) at Boise State University. She wants to show how good of a student she is, but desperately wants to be 'in the know' of all the happenings of college life.

Enter Phil. A tall, athletic and handsome young chap who could easily be pegged as a 'jock' but, after further investigation, would reveal himself to be a complex and quite existential character.

Phil, walking up to Lisa: "Hey, I think we have the same class."

Lisa: "Really?" Acting rather irritated that this man-boy has interrupted her cognitive development.

Phil: "Yeah, but our professor didn't tell us we had any homework." Proud at his preferential treatment.

Lisa: "They don't. It's written in the syllabus." Proud at her novice, but seemingly profound insight of her 2-day college experience.

Phil: "What's a syllabus?" Shrinking by the second at her intimidating beauty and intelligence.

Lisa: "It's the piece of paper all your professors give you the first day of class. It tells you everything you need to know - your reading assignments, papers, everything." That should teach him to mess with someone of your IQ!

Phil: "Oh. I probably should find that." He's done. Nothing left. He turns to wander off with his tail tucked between his legs.

Lisa: "Yes." Satisfied at her avoidance of any level of interest in this jock.

--End Scene--

Act 2~
Lisa, walking excitedly to class, enjoying the onset of autumn near the river, stops to bask at the changing leaves. She happens to spot that 'man-boy' who tried to talk to her earlier that month. Now he's walking towards her. Great. He obviously sees her. What can she do?

Phil: Holding a paper towel around his finger, "I cut my finger."

Lisa: "Oh. I'm sorry." She walks away, unimpressed.

--End Scene--

Act 3~
After multiple 'coincidental' encounters throughout the grounds of the Boise State Campus, Lisa begins to get accustomed to running into Phil. She acts a little less irritated each time, causing her interest in him to grow.

He notices that she is not the typical girl he knew in high school, nor is he to her. He realizes he has to step up his game if he wants this 'college girl' to notice him. He begins to attend Anthropology 102 more regularly, attempts to pay attention, and finally musters up the courage.

Again, Lisa is studying in the SUB, trying to stay true to her studious nature while fighting off her social urges. Phil meanders up to the booth where her immense amount of books and papers are strewn across the table.

Phil: "Hey. Howz it goin?" apprehensive after their first encounter.

Lisa: "Good." Trying to appear slightly more accepting of this now cute interruption. "How are you?"

Phil: Okay. Making progress. "I'm good, but I'm having a little trouble with Anthropology."

Lisa: The teacher and know-it-all in her has peaked interest. "Really? What's going on?"

Phil: BINGO! "Well, we have our mid-term coming up and there are a lot of things I still don't really get. I was hoping maybe we could get together and go over our notes."

Lisa: Flattered by his awareness of her expertise, "Sure!"

And thus it began. After an afternoon of flattery, laughter, and limited studying, Lisa realized that this guy had potential. He was hilarious! And totally respected the obvious vibes that this study session was by no means a make-out session. Not even one attempt at a kiss! WOW!

But then he had to do it. As he left her parents house on a bright October afternoon, he put on his surprisingly sexy sunglasses, backed out of the driveway, then turned and looked at her. That's all it took. BAM! It hit her like a baseball in the face. He was HOT! Really hot!!

Lisa: Oh my god, she thought to herself. He needs to come back so we can turn this into a make-out session. Wow! Why hadn't she seen that before? Where did that come from? From there on out, she started taking notice - of his arms, his shoulders, his jawline, his lips. She became obsessed. And the love affair began.

--End Scene--

After nine months of passionate dating he bought a ring. This wonderful occurrence happened to fall on the same day that Lisa had her wisdom teeth removed from her jaw. Chipmunk with a years supply of nuts stashed is an understatement of her poise and beauty that day. Not to mention the chocolate milkshake gently cascading down her numb lower lip and neck. She didn't even realize it was there until in was on her chest. This, he thought, is the image of love. So he did what any man would do... he bought an engagement ring.

Two months later on a relaxing trip to the Oregon coast with her family, he did it. He proposed. It was wonderful and perfect and everything a girl could imagine. Except for how long the walk on the beach took. It was probably a good two miles... and dark out so she couldn't even see the ring after they 'pretended' to dig it up while looking for clams. But hey, when a guy is nervous, you gotta be patient!

Then came marriage and 3 years later, the baby in the baby carriage.

I LOVE being married. He was the greatest thing to ever happen to me. That's how its supposed to be though, right. You become a better person with them than you were without them. Not meaning dependent, but better.

I remember those first few months of marriage. Damn they were hard - for HIM! I was so ridiculously needy and stubborn and naive and petty and selfish and... I could go on... But he managed to see through the swamp to the beautiful oasis that lay inside. And with some major overhaulin' of all the extra junk and a little re-landscaping, here I am today. Proud to say I am MUCH better at 28 than I was at 18. I hope it rings true of 38. But its because of him. He allowed me to find and nurture the real me - helped me feed the good and starve the bad.

We have survived many a trial and tribulation. Don't think Julie Andrews has been singing in the background this whole time: buying a house, two dogs, 1.7 children, building a house, in-laws, multiple job changes, putting each other through school, fights, make-ups, more fights, and a partridge in a pear tree. But I wouldn't change a bit of it. We have learned from every success and failure together and I can say our marriage has survived because of it. Thank God! I have no secret to our success, given 60% of marriages fail in the first 5 years. All I know is I love him more today than when I said "I do." and the baseball still hits me in the face now and again. Lucky for me, I can have a make-out party whenever I want (not considering my current condition)!

But I must say, this anniversary-thing has given me some major guilt. Our anniversaries have been a source of friendly competition for Phil and I. We alternate turns planning them. One year, Phil took me out the Melting Pot (this was a short-lived tradition), rented the Romeo & Juliet suite at the Anniversary in, had rose petals and apple-tinis for me (my favorite drink @ the time). I had no idea that when he told my mom, "See you at 11." after we dropped Olivia off that it meant the next day! What a surprise. This last year was amazing too. He took me for a lunch picnic at Albertson's park with my favorite bottle of wine. We guzzled it down and he bought me a second later that afternoon on our way to Two Rivers where he had booked a couple's massage. I was so relaxed I literally drooled on the floor! It was awesome! We still went to dinner at the Melting Pot and he had a hotel room at Hotel 43 downtown. He knows how to treat a girl while still getting what he wants. (wink. wink.)

And what of this year, you ask? Given that its my turn to plan it and I am uncomfortably 7 months preggo, you guess! We went to dinner at... no, not the Melting Pot... but Mai Thai! We broke our tradition. Probably because it fell on a Tuesday night during one of my busiest weeks of school and in the middle of his FireOps planning. Woo hoo. The poor guy didn't even get anything good other than a letter telling him about my undying love and how wonderful our life is together. We were in bed before 10. But no worries, I know that #10 is mine to plan and boy have I got the ideas a-rollin'! I have some makin' up to do. Plus a decade is pretty monumental. I'm thinking of re-living Mexico and this time we'll be less shy about everything since we'll be 10 years older. Any other ideas - send 'em my way.