Ah, Memories

I was reminiscing about good times while I was in the shower this evening. Perhaps it was the warm steam swirling around me? Or maybe it was the deliciously silky feel of my hair mask? Whatever it was that stimulated my memory, I thought about the early days of my relationship with my husband as I massaged my scalp.

We began dating after I'd signed my final divorce documents. I wasn't technically divorced because I was still counting down California's minimum six months + one day for a dissolution, but I was darn close. Anyway, I felt it was morally acceptable to begin dating because I'd already signed the final papers.

Though we have a 19-year age difference, we clicked from the start. I found him handsome (I think he looks like Kevin Costner - except my husband still has all of his own hair!), funny, charming, witty, and incredibly sexy. We went to dinner, strolled the beach, and had cocktails on our first date. The date went so well that it lasted until the next morning. Like I said, we clicked from the start.

It wasn't long after that first date that my husband & I exchanged "I love you's." We were sitting on the back porch. Back then there was nothing on the porch - we sat on the ground. My husband's GSD, Boris, loved when we sat on the back porch because we often had some sort of alcoholic beverage with us. Boris was a typical
German Shepherd, very sure-footed. But he became the clumsiest dog ever when he noticed that there was beer around and he'd "accidentally" knock over the mug o' suds so that he could get away with lapping up the hoppy goodness. We loved that good dog and he left us far too soon.

So we were sitting on his back porch and I said my husband's name and shyly asked, "Do you love me?" in a small voice. I was so relieved when he smiled and said that of course he loved me. He added that he had loved me almost from the moment he met me. Oh, how my heart soared to hear those beautiful words!

There have been so many more lovely memories in the last 7 years. The way that he gave his time, energy, & talent to help remodel my condo. How he patiently held me as I sobbed on the day that California officially recognized that my first marriage was over. The time he sent for me while he was in Vegas for the weekend because he missed me and wanted to see me. His ultra-casual marriage proposal and my ultra-casual acceptance. Our laid-back and fun wedding and honeymoon. His tender care on a wild night in DC. The first time I mentioned that I might be knocked up. The pregnancy test debacle: negative, positive, negative, positive, positive! My thumbs up to him at that final test. The first time we saw and heard our baby's heartbeat - unbelievably at only six-weeks gestation! The first time we saw our son. . .

I look forward to countless more precious memories to cherish in the coming years.