Life is a Banquet : Seven Year Itch

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Originally uploaded by wavybrains.

Seven years ago, today I met Freak. I had known his friend Russ for a few months, and Russ woke up on May 17, 2003 and called his his best friend whom he had known since he was 15 and informed him that he had just had an epiphany and that Freak had to meet me.
Or as Freak puts it, "I'm glad I answered the phone that morning that Russ woke me up from a sound sleep in order to tell me about this girl that he couldn't go out with because she reminded him too much of me!"

Six years ago, we were finishing a VERY rocky first year in a new state, but Kevin was about to buy this house, and we had three cats, so clearly the universe had already determined that we were a done deal.

Five years ago, we were newly married, thus proving the universe right.

Four years ago, we were both in the midst of job changes and were thinking of starting a family.

Three years ago, I was pregnant with Beta-who-turned-out-to-be-Tavy and our relationship felt like it finally reached the rock-solid plateau we spent four years building towards.

Two years ago, that rock-solid foundation was paying off as we watched Tavy learn to crawl and say her first words.

One year ago, we were learning what the terrible twos REALLY means and thinking about whether we would EVER be ready for round two . . .

Today, I am listening to my soul mate, my partner, my best friend, my husband patiently put Tavy to bed while I procrastinate on yet more grading and try to coax Junior into kicking me more. I look at this picture (taken about a month after we met) and beyond thinking how much kinder the years have been to Freak, I see now what I could not then: I see gray hair, years and years of laugh lines, decades of bad hair cuts, no hair cuts, piles of discarded glasses frames, increasing and decreasing belt sizes, job changes, house changes, empty nests, and full hearts.

And just for fun: From our first chat, carefully saved by Freak (Russ actually set us up by saying he was gonna conference with us then claiming technical difficulties):

her (6:46:30 PM): The conference call crashed
her (6:46:32 PM): sorry
her (6:36:40 PM): Russ sent me your web page... See More... See More
her (6:36:42 PM): very cool
her (6:37:04 PM): Where on the pacific is your pic taken?
her (6:37:11 PM): It looks like vancouver
me (6:47:13 PM): on the west coast near seattle
me (6:47:16 PM): very good
her (6:37:25 PM): Ahhh I like that area too
me (6:47:38 PM): I'm going there again in June
me (6:48:05 PM): so i hear you want to see Star Wars?

(edited to protect the not-so-innocent)

( By the end of the convo, close to an hour later, we were hitting it off quite well..)

me (7:36:20 PM): how bout Monday
her (7:26:33 PM): That is a definite yes
her (7:26:54 PM): LEts chat tommorrow either phone or im and see about tommorrow vs. monday
her (7:26:56 PM): okay
her (7:26:58 PM): ?
me (7:37:00 PM): Sounds good!
her (7:27:04 PM): nice to meet you kevin
me (7:37:12 PM): same here, Doh! whats your name!!
me (7:37:16 PM): doh
her (7:27:26 PM): Bethany
her (7:27:28 PM): :P
her (7:27:30 PM): Happy now
me (7:37:30 PM): it was nice to talk to you Bethany
me (7:37:33 PM): yes
her (7:27:37 PM): heheehee
her (7:27:56 PM): okay bye now.

we wound up talking on the phone for 4 hours the next day..

And the rest is history . . .