In Sickness and In Health
Jeff and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary today. Normally we don't make a big deal out of anniversaries, but this one feels more meaningful because I can't imagine going through cancer treatment without a dependable partner. He may not be the most emotionally supportive guy, but his presence is reassuring enough. The traditional gift for an 11th anniversary is steel -- strength and durability. Feels appropriate. I refrained from buying Jeff a steel heart engraved with "You're steel the one."
We started out the day cheering on Julia at her Destination Imagination performance; she was excellent as the Rainbow Fish Queen. Then Julia and I had some special bonding time at That Takes the Cake, a decorated cake and sugar art show. Our favorite entries included a hornet cake with sugar glass wings and this towering cactus cake.
Later we sat down with the kids and watched our wedding ceremony video (I didn't want the reception filmed because we were serving strong drinks and encouraging debauchery). I am mildly annoyed because the song I walked down the aisle to (Pachelbel's Canon in D) was playing in the breast imaging ultrasound room as I was being diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. Not the same version by George Winston, but I hate that I now associate that song with my diagnosis day. Because day one is the f**king worst -- without a doubt the lowest point in my journey so far. (A nurse practitioner had performed a breast exam and didn't seem concerned, so I did NOT see it coming.)
But back to happiness and love! Tonight we went out to a fancy dinner at Jeffrey's, and I traded in my modal jogger pants and slouchy hat for a sparkly dress and pretty hair. I actually wore the same dress that I wore to our rehearsal dinner eleven years ago, but that was less for sentimental reasons and more because I never buy new dresses. Then of course Jeff had to wear the same shirt he wore eleven years ago. Hmm, maybe it's time for a wardrobe update?
And here's eleven years ago. We still look exactly the same! (If not, I blame the lighting.)
We started out the day cheering on Julia at her Destination Imagination performance; she was excellent as the Rainbow Fish Queen. Then Julia and I had some special bonding time at That Takes the Cake, a decorated cake and sugar art show. Our favorite entries included a hornet cake with sugar glass wings and this towering cactus cake.
Later we sat down with the kids and watched our wedding ceremony video (I didn't want the reception filmed because we were serving strong drinks and encouraging debauchery). I am mildly annoyed because the song I walked down the aisle to (Pachelbel's Canon in D) was playing in the breast imaging ultrasound room as I was being diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. Not the same version by George Winston, but I hate that I now associate that song with my diagnosis day. Because day one is the f**king worst -- without a doubt the lowest point in my journey so far. (A nurse practitioner had performed a breast exam and didn't seem concerned, so I did NOT see it coming.)
But back to happiness and love! Tonight we went out to a fancy dinner at Jeffrey's, and I traded in my modal jogger pants and slouchy hat for a sparkly dress and pretty hair. I actually wore the same dress that I wore to our rehearsal dinner eleven years ago, but that was less for sentimental reasons and more because I never buy new dresses. Then of course Jeff had to wear the same shirt he wore eleven years ago. Hmm, maybe it's time for a wardrobe update?
Jami didn't appreciate that, instead of "strength and durability", I saw steel as "heavy and easily corroded".
ReplyDeleteFor those tracking my failures, rolling responsibility from Valentine's Day into the Anniversary did not pay off. Did you know that Anniversary cards are almost universally sappy poems? So she got one of my emergency Any Occasion cards, some uncomforting descriptions of steel, and to chauffeur me to dinner where she watched me enjoy alcohol and red meat.
Jami's dress really looked just as good. My shirt would have, but I've worn that shirt a thousand times in the interim, and it shows its age. Aside from that, we're the same.
Does anyone else remember our wedding ceremony being so long?
Y’all look great! Happy anniversary!
ReplyDelete