My Thermos

I'm at a loss to express just how proud I am of my brave, strong and wonderful Gina for her blog post today - "Adding My Voice To A Brave Chorus"

Perhaps that is best for her words are the important ones today.

I love you Gina!

So Gina and I went from friends to marriage in just 37 minutes today:



I guess when you meet the right person, you just know it!

SB

Today is the day that Gina and I celebrate our 15th Wedding Anniversary. It was 15 years ago that we gathered with friends and family to share our wonderful event. It was 15 years ago today that my partner and best friend also became my wife.

I know that 15 years is, in the grand scheme of things, not a very long time - but it does represent more than 1/3 of my life. With marriages of many friends and relatives having failed or failing, I am proud of the life that we have built together and look forward to many more years together.

I start and end each of my days being thankful for Gina. Her smile makes me smile, her laugh makes me happy, and her tears make me sad. We snicker inappropriately at jokes only we understand, we often finish each others sentences, and we can say a lot to each other with just a look.

So I would like to say a big and enthusiastic Happy Anniversary to my Gina. If you don't mind, how about we try for another 15? Or at least another 5 so I can correctly use the Sgt. Peppers reference...

PS - I have a couple of music items related to our wedding that I'll be sharing with you over the next couple of days, including our last minute frantic attempts to acquire the music for the ceremony, the strict instructions I gave our DJ, and our chosen list of selected songs to include at the reception. Stay Tuned.

I've been reading a lot today about how my fellow bloggers spent Christmas and the overwhelming theme seems to be time with family - good or bad as that may be.

Being raised jewish, my family doesn't really do Christmas and distance keeps us away from Gina's family who are spread about the country. We would likely do the traditional Chinese food / movie combo were it not for our Christmas Family.

Yep, you heard that right. Gina and I have a Christmas Family...

Carl and Eloise have been friends of my parents for years. Their kids and us grew up together but, as is often the case, we got older and drifted apart - seeing each other only occasionally.

When Gina and I moved back here from Colorado 15 years ago, we got an invite to their house for Christmas dinner. I think our whole family got invited but only Gina and I attended. We had wonderful food and a chance to get back in touch with old friends.

We had all grown up, gotten married, and many had children of their own. We recounted stories of our childhood, the hole we put in the wall, toys we played with and other shared experiences.

We left that evening with the best of intentions to "get together soon" but the year passed without that happening, so we repeated the exercise again the following year, and the year after that... and every year since.

By now we've accepted the fact that we only see them once a year but that doesn't diminish our relationship with them or their importance to us. Their welcoming of us into their home each year and adopting us into their family - if only for one day - is a wonderful experience. Our Christmas Family makes sure that we don't spend the holiday alone and for that we are grateful.

SB

The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Steven Wright

On Saturday Gina and I went for our haircuts and the coolest thing happened, we walked in and... well, Gina's already written about it...

So that's a great story isn't it.

And how cool that I get an entry for today, and I hardly had to write anything.

SB

“Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time.”

Yesterday I talked about cold weather and warm slippers, but cold weather also brings the opportunity to enjoy Hot Cocoa - yet another thing for which I am thankful.

Back when I was a wee young'n I used to spend the holidays working at our family store. While there was a stove heater there, it was still remarkably cold so a hot cup of cocoa would really hit the spot...

Continue reading "Like Water For Chocolate" »

For those who may not know, my lovely wife authors a blog of her own, one which is really far superior to mine (not to mention updated much more frequently)

Yesterday she posted the latest in her "Bitchin' Broads" series - and it turns out to be about none other than our very own Aunt Carole.

A great read - enjoy!!

SB