Because I actually like him…

When Don and I became engaged, the year thereafter we received many bits of unsolicited advice. I did my best to smile, filed them as important, and refer to them when needed. One that has stuck out to me recently was “Above all, take time for one another. Your children will benefit greatly from a solid and happy marriage.”

Nearly 8 weeks ago, we started our journey into the Summer of Love. You see, I made a personal commitment (without revealing to my beloved) to show my love for him and celebrate our love: to do my best to try and abate distraction, see him with new eyes. What I didn’t know that I would discover is every single day, our love grows. Those small details in life that go unnoticed unless you are a primary player. Showing my love for him has always been there, like his has been for me. Yep, we are that overly affectionate couple (not too overly!) that sometimes make others a bit uncomfortable. But you see, I think all of the senses are tantamount to any relationship.

see.hear.smell.taste.touch.

Honestly, I was nervous at the thought of spending so much time alone with him. I hoped he still liked me. Quite frankly, I am more than fond of him. I am quite sapiosexual, and the conversations we’ve had alone and with others have furthered fueled that. Experiences we've shared over the past several weeks and witnessing first-hand the strength and power of love between individuals (young and old, straight and gay, religious and nonreligious, political and non-political, traditional and non-traditional, black, white, brown...all kinds)...it's mind blowingly beautiful. I hope the love he and I share is as evident as those.



Seven years goes by in a heartbeat, but when I look back, I think of all of the wonderful adventures, both grand and mundane, that I’ve had the privilege of sharing with him. Just in the past eight weeks: Going for a run in Central Park to greet the day. Strolling the streets of NYC, laughing and missing our girls. Reading articles in magazines together, then talking about them later. Watching movies that rock us to our core. Watching mindless movies just to laugh. Staying in luxurious homes and hotels. Staying in a room with a rough mattress, air conditioning, and a thin sheet. Surfing. Building sand castles. Late night dinners with new friends. Staying up all night when our youngest cuts a tooth. Spending countless hours picking through hair together to rid our eldest of lice. Strolling through Napa. Morning cups of coffee. Hours-long road trips in various time zones. Fancy food, simple food. Exchanging knowing glances across a room. Traveling by car, plane, ferry, shuttle, walking, and running. Learning about new cultures, embracing new perspectives, appreciating all we have. Dancing in the rain, multiple times. Heck, just dancing. Always finding one another and coming back to center and discovering how easy it is.

 







Cheers to seven fabulously married years, my love! Thank you for your sacrifice for making this happen and only slightly hesitating when I mentioned it. :) I love you! I’m ever so grateful that you took that piece of advice to heart and encouraged us to make this investment into our marriage!