eleven years with my love

i only slept for 90 minutes the night before our wedding.  it wasn't nerves that kept sleep at bay.  it felt completely natural to be marrying you, my very best friend.  i could see our future quite clearly.  i knew there would be children down the path, and pets and mortgages and ups and downs and i knew that we would be there to grow with each other and how excited i was that we would be there to dream with each other.

i was quite ready for the ride.

i wasn't worried at how the day would play out.  i didn't have any preconceptions about perfection. your friends and family would be there to straighten potted pansies and string lights.  my sister would be there to drive like a maniac to get me to the fairgrounds on time.my brother would be there to blow in my eyes when they got misty.   monique would be there in the wee hours of that night so i wouldn't have to fret alone.  my mom and dad would be there to make sure people were well fed. the white benches would be filled with people who drove miles and miles for us and filled with crazy college boys who didn't have qualms about changing in your parents front yard. and all would be ready to celebrate the 2 1/2 minute ceremony with dance and drink. 

and you would be there, by my side. 

what kept me awake was a whole lot of silliness about hair appointments.  really! a silly, silly hair appointment that didn't define you or me or they family we would build.  silliness, that in the grand scheme of things, didn't matter one iota.  and eleven years later there are still things that try to work there way into us, but those eleven years have taught us that we are like bread and butter...
or like a wink and a smile...
or like moulder and scully...
or like m&m's and popcorn...
or like steel! 

did you know that the 11 anniversary is traditionally celebrated with steel?  

think about it... by ourselves we are great, but put us together and we are stronger.  together we are capable of greater things. 

together we are shinier!  i crack myself up!

i love you tony.  happy anniversary.