this day, 12 years ago...

Twelve years ago today - 30th October - it was a Tuesday in 2001, Larry picked me up outside my office at 11.30 a.m.  We drove to the Travis County Court House in Austin, about 6 miles.  We parked and made it through the metal detectors and found our way to the second floor, we took a number and waited in a totally empty room to be called - that didn't take too long. We had our ids and that was all we needed apart from the fact that we swore we fulfilled all the requirements for common law marriage - which basically are swearing we fulfilled the requirements.  We signed the registry and took our brown envelope containing the marriage certificate. I was back at my desk within the hour.

No one knew, well no - Larry and I knew of course, but no one else knew.  We had planned this, only the day before we said, lets get married, how does tomorrow sound?  And so I dressed up a little, but because I had only been working at Newgistics a few months, it wasn't yet obvious that I was 'dressed up'.  If it happend now, they would probably think I had an interview, certainly neither then, nor now, would anyone think I was planning to get married in my lunch hour.  But we thought it worked well.

Today, twelve years later, I still think it was a very memorable day, and one I don't regret.  Oh sure, we have had our ups and downs like any married couple, but we have - so far - done really well at working through them.

Today Larry gave me a decent bottle of wine and a beautiful bunch of flowers, containing my two favorite flowers, star gazer lillies and orange roses - who among you can say your husband / partner knows your two favorite flowers?  a few maybe, but not many.  He also bought me a beautiful card that I guantee he read carefully and bought only because the words echoed his own feelings.  I gave him the same anniversary card I have given him every year for the past 5 years.  5 years ago he loved it so much he told me to save it and give it to him every year.  This year the envelope fell apart, but the card is still as new and the sentiment it expresses still holds true.  He plans to do some repair work on the envelope with a roll of tape - he is kind of frugal.