April 24. For many years, it was synonymous with Ellie’s birthday and only that. Except for a few years when I really hater her guts, I couldn’t wait for that date to come around. And that was until 1999…
Saturday, April 24, 1999 was the day I got tied, lassoed and bound to the girl who was crazy enough to accept my marriage proposal. We had met only a few months earlier and everything was against our relationship, but I guess we really wanted to show everybody that we could do it. I left home, my family, my friends, some debt, lots of bad memories and an ex-fiancée whom discovered all of a sudden that I was the love of her life and she was wrong to have let me go. I was getting out of there, stepping into the unknown but full of hope to finally have my own family.
It was a culture shock, more than it had already been, since both sides were trying to cope with the traditions. It was awkward, but I never ever said things should be always exactly this or that way. Plenty of food, Johnny Walker Black and coconut water and lots of wining till they kicked us out of the place. Too bad the bleepin’ photographer decided not to show up at all, leaving us with the amateurish photos taken by our guests.
We didn’t leave that night on our honeymoon. Actually, we didn’t have one. We needed to find a place to live and I did not have a work permit, so I was not allowed to work, so the money situation was a little tight. And besides, we had lived in a way our honeymoon with all the time we spent together in St. Maarten.
Over the years, things were very rocky for us. The first serious bump happening in year 3. Almost called it quits since things were absolutely nasty. We got over it and was I ever happy we did because if not, my daughter would not be with us. Year 6 was another horrible one and I still don’t know how we did not split. I itched a lot in 7 but did not scratch. 8 was a healing year and 9 will bring a son, completing the portrait of a typical American family. 31 more days before junior shows up!
This year, it was much more pleasurable than it has been in a very long time. We did not celebrate as it’s Thursday. I’ll be working late tomorrow and I’ll be out there too Saturday morning, so our celebration will take place Saturday night.
Next year will be our 10th anniversary if nothing goes wrong. Another milestone, considering that every day that goes by breaks a new record. This union beats my longest relationship by a factor of 2. My father-in-law wished me to have many, many more years of happiness. Let’s see what happens then!
Till then…
