Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Anniversary 9

Our ninth anniversary is a landmark of sorts: we've now been married for as long as we dated. Nine also represents the novena my mother made to get us to make it legal. (Just joking about that. She knows that if she did make one, it's a secret she should take to her grave. But I doubt she did. My paternal grandmother made a novena that her aging son (26) would get married, and she's spent every waking moment since then hating my mother.)

Here's the present I stitched (am stitching). I think I screwed up. I thought the background color was too dark, but I stuck with it anyway. And now there's no undoing. I'll see how I might salvage it.

Erica Michaels
"To Thee My Heart"
40-count silk gauze
Called for fibers (GAST and CC)
Petit point rather than cross stitch.

I did promise a list:
  • He's kind and, optimistically perhaps, expects people to return his kindness even in the face of overwhelming evidence that they are disinclined to do so. This does not make him become any less kind.
  • He knows me and my family and still hangs around.
  • He's really fucking smart. Not just "book smart" and not just in his field. He has an insatiable curiosity.
  • He lets me invite my internet stranger-friends to the house and helps entertain them.
  • He is an excellent teacher. When we were working with Lala the other day, his descriptions of how to make bread and pickles were crystal clear. He was encouraging and rewarded my niece with heartfelt praise. He is patient and nurturing.
  • He's a hottie. And that's not just on my say so.
  • He has given me more emotional support in the past year and a half than a person has a right to expect.
  • He attended Pilates for 10 weeks, even though the other women thought they'd chase him away. He owns his masculinity and it is his, not some societal expectation.
  • He wrote me this poem eight years ago:
  • "Binding"
    The book that we have made together
    Is not leather bound.
    We have lived no pristine pages
    Of classic prose,
    Become no gilt-lettered monument
    Displayed behind glass
    Protected from dirt and judgment.

    Our well thumbed manuscript
    Remains unfinished.
    Fresh words spill in loving ink
    Across familiar printed lines.
    Suggestions scribbled in our margins
    Crowd round a growing draft
    Waiting for more revisions and additions.
    We need no elegant conclusion;
    Ours is a living text.
    Happy anniversary, dude.

    25 comments:

    KarenV said...

    How nice to "meet" the dude, he sounds like a real keeper! Happy Anniversary to you both :)

    Denise said...

    Wow! Hold on to him. You are a lucky woman. Happy Anniversary and thank you for sharing your wonderful husband with us.

    Casa Pearl said...

    Aye carumba what a keeper! He'd be one even if he wasn't such a hottie! Happy Anniversary to you both and best wishes for many, many more years together.

    xeyedmary said...

    Awwww! Congratulations!

    Anonymous said...

    Peter, Peter had a wife and could in fact keep her...

    Happy Anniversary!

    BP (and bridesmaid to the happy couple nine years ago!)

    Susan said...

    Congratulations to you both! Here's to many more happy years together!

    valerie said...

    Wow, what a keeper! Happy Anniversary to you both!

    BronnyB said...

    awwwwwwwww
    He's so sweet and very special!
    Congratulations on your Anniversary!

    Kristen said...

    Wow! The picture was enough to make me swoon, then I went and read his poem. A keeper, indeed.

    Happy Anniversary!

    Meadows08 said...

    Happy Anniversary! Making a list of the things we love about our spouse is a great idea, especially when you get pissed off at them!

    Maybe when you finish all the fill on To Thee My Heart, the letters will pop more...

    Anonymous said...

    that is a gorgeous poem, congrats on 9 years of wonder...

    Blu said...

    Happy Anniversary! He's definitely a keeper (and a cutie!).

    Linen Stitcher said...

    Congrats to you and the dude on this momentous occasion!! I also enjoyed meeting him, so thanks for the introduction.

    Giovanna said...

    Happy Anniversary to you both!

    Adrienne Martini said...

    *love*

    Congrats on nine years.

    Jenny said...

    Congrats from me too!

    I have done the same mistake on silk gauze too and fixed it by taking out my fine shart scissors and cutting the floss off from the back. Then just pull it out from the front using your needle.

    The present looks lovely! Good luck with it and have a great celebration!

    Laura Elizabeth said...

    *sniff*happytear* Happy Anniversary! *sniff*happytear*

    Laura Elizabeth said...

    *sniff*happytear* Happy Anniversary! *sniff*happytear*

    Marcy said...

    What a wonderful tribute -- Happy anniversary and many more.

    You might try removing the background thread from the back with really small sharp scissors -- the kind you would use for hardanger.

    Michelle said...

    The poem is really lovely. Happy anniversary!!!

    Miriam said...

    :) happy anniversary!

    Jenna said...

    Happy (belated) anniversary wishes to the two of you! You make a great couple. :) And that poem is wonderful. He's definitely a keeper!

    mainely stitching said...

    oh my gosh, he's FABULOUS. Oh but you knew that already. Seriously, a huge congratulations to you and wishes for many more happy years together.

    Aussie Stitcher said...

    I hope that you had a fabulous anniversary. I love the poem, reminds me of one that I received from my DH.

    Jennifer said...

    I will vouch for The Dude being an excellent host!