I have been talking to my husband, Chris, on a pretty regular basis. Sometimes its hard to coordinate our phone schedules but at least there is more flexibility here than there was at Remuda. He seems to be tending to our zoo and hold down the fort at home sufficiently and he reassures me daily that things are running smooth and steady as a windup toy. I miss him greatly and the soft tone of his voice leaks a hint of sadness when he tells me he can’t wait for me to come home. We both know this is whats best for me, our relationship, and our future together but it doesn’t make being apart for so long any easier.

He’s not alone in our 2 story house with its half-acre yard and small garden by any means. Our 4 dogs, 2 cats, 5 snakes, and 3 tarantulas keep him company and a fluctuating work schedule has him in a mostly constant state of action. Knowing he’s got everything held together down there puts my heart a little more at ease. It’s a hard household for just one person to manage but his many abilities never cease to amaze me.

To say that Chris and I have been through a lot together, to me, would sound like and understatement. We are opposites in many ways but it makes for a good balance in the relationship and we come together where it counts. With our 4 year wedding anniversary just around the corner I am warmed by the thought that I won’t look sick for our renewal wedding a year from now.

When Chris and I got married it was standing in our street clothes in front of a licensed justice of the peace. The whole process took less than 10 minutes in the middle of a living room that somebody’s “old money” posh grandmother had decorated. From there we walked a block up the street to the courthouse, got the proper papers signed, paid the small fee and that was that. Although word of our marriage leaked out little by little we wound up keeping the news from a good many people for a number of months. We had our reasons for going about things this way but mostly it was because we would not have been able to afford anything close to the wedding we wanted for quite some time. Thats what brought about the idea to do the ceremony we originally lacked as we renew our vows on the date of our 5 year anniversary.

It was only recently that Chris told me he wouldn’t want to do the ceremony with me looking so sick. Momentarily, when he said it, i was stunned because we had both been looking forward to it for years now. It made sence though and, once I sat with the idea for a bit, its how I felt as well…and that is just one of the factors behind my motivation to be where I am now.