Monday, January 20, 2020

#Microblog Mondays: Eleven Years

Martin Luther King Day is a special day for many reasons, but it has a personal remembrance for me. Eleven years ago today (this holiday today, not this specific date), I proposed to Bryce and he said yes.

Why THIS day? Not for any other significance than that it was a three-day weekend and I'd gone to visit my best friend and her family, which involved a brand new baby and a toddler, and while I was there I penned a letter to Bryce that was basically a persuasive essay in favor of getting married. You could say I saw my married friend and her young family and wanted something like that for us, and you could say that I had time away to think about where we were as a couple and how Bryce had said he wasn't all that interested in getting married again but that he wanted a partnership with me, which was nice but I wasn't all that interested in a partnership without marriage.

So when I got home Monday, I made a nice dinner, set out a Sinnean Pinot Noir, lit candles, and printed out the letter after a zillion edits. It was nerve-wracking.

But I am so, so very happy that he said yes. Well, he jumped up with tears in his eyes and yelled, "YES! Of course, of course YES, I will marry you, Jess!"

Part of the letter referenced the difficulties we already knew we would face having children, but we had NO IDEA just how difficult those difficulties would be, or that they would end in us not having children at all. Although, to be fair, I did reference that outcome -- I distinctly remember saying that I was up for the challenge and if it turned out to be not possible for us, I could be happy with a life that was just us two because I loved him THAT much.

After all the hurdles we jumped only to land in quicksand, after eleven years, two houses, four cats, two dogs, several jobs, and two degrees... it feels good to know that the argument I made at the start of 2009 still holds true -- every last bit, even the "worst case scenario" that I know now is not worst case at all.

I might love him even more now than I did then, because I know what we can survive and what we're capable of, and with so much behind us I can't wait to see what's ahead.

Pajama engage-o-versary selfie. Bryce said each year we may need to take 5 more selfies to find one that we don't both hate. Ha, ha.

This is why kissing selfies are a TERRIBLE idea. I look like I'm being deflated and my head and neck are misshapen, and Bryce is sucking my life force. Or giving me really bad CPR. One or the other. 

Mmmm, tacos for dinner with homemade spicy beans, caramelized onion, Peruvian marinated chicken, and avocado on tortillas Bryce made from scratch. Nom nom nom


Want to read more #Microblog Mondays? Go here and enjoy! 



19 comments:

  1. You make me laugh Jess! I love that you are confident enough to show the selfie of you two kissing. (And tell Bryce you're WAY better at selfies than we are.)

    And happy engage-o-versary! It's a lovely story. You two were made for each other.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So glad! I felt like that kissing selfie was terrible but worth sharing because I thought it was hilarious. Also, Bryce would tell you that kissing is weird in general.
      Thanks for the congrats!

      Delete
  2. Aw what a great story! So did you just hand him the letter and the proposal was in the letter or did you propose first and then had him the letter? More details please! Also, I have never managed to take a good kissing selfie.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kissing selfies are the worst!

      So, there proposal was the letter... I just handed it to him after dinner and then tried not to stare him down as he read it. It was so stressful!

      Delete
    2. oh wow, I can just imagine how nerve wracking it must have been watching him read the letter and waiting for a reaction!

      Delete
  3. Happy Anniversary to the lovely couple!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy engagoversity! Very happy for you two lovebirds who have walked the winding path and come out strong and together. Love love love your last sentence.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love love love!!!! Happy engago-versary! Your commentary on the kissing selfie made me laugh. Tacos=on point. I've wanted to make homemade tortillas for a long time now. Apparently Costco has these dough balls that you then fry up yourself.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mmmmm, those tacos were so freaking good! Homemade tortillas are much better for you too, it's just Masa flour and water, no oil or lard at all, and no oil even in the skillet! So soft and yummy.

      Thanks for the congrats, and ha ha on kissing selfies!

      Delete
  6. Happy engage-o-versary! Dinner looks delish!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Congrats to all the years together!! I really like what you wrote: "With so much behind us, I can't wait to see what's ahead." I'm going to use that line of thought for myself. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much! Sometimes it's lovely to think of where you are as a starting point after so much challenge.

      Delete
  8. Happy engagoversary! You two are a great couple. I’m grated every day that you two found each other.

    ReplyDelete
  9. A belated happy engagement-versay! Wishing you both many, many more years of happiness and wonderfulness as you continue your journey together.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Awwww, congratulations on your engagement-versary! That is such a great story. May you have many, many more happy years together.

    (I'd be remiss if I didn't also mention that those tacos look truly delicious.)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Awwww!! Happy (belated) engage-aversary! :)

    ReplyDelete