Tuesday, July 05, 2005

Sing it like the Flintstones...

It's been 13 years since a beautiful young woman with a lot of courage put on a lovely white dress and married me. She's courageous because she's managed to put up with the tempestuousness of a husband whose idea of fun is lying on his back on the front lawn and measuring the size of clouds with his fingertips. That she does it at all is a wonder. That she does it while keeping herself and the household on an even keel is even more so.

We celebrated by dropping the kids off at day camp, then heading to nearby Grand Bend - a little town on the Lake Huron shore - to sit on the beach and contemplate life. The weather was iffy - it rained off and on as we drove there, forcing me to close the beloved sunroof - and stayed gray for most of the time that we were at the lake. The sky cleared into brilliant blue as we loaded up to head home. But I didn't much care. I had, after all, gotten to spend quiet time with the one person on the planet who can speak to me without saying a word.

After we got back to London and picked up the kids, we took them out for pizza. As our daughter had a hissy fit and buried herself in the deepest recesses of the adjacent bench seat for a good sulking, Debbie smiled and shook her head. She said never in a million years could she have imagined when we got married that we'd be doing THIS on our 13th anniversary.

I thought the same thing, then looked at our boisterous children and thought how cool it was that we had created this crazy little world.

We watched our wedding video with them before bedtime. I always have difficulty watching it because I can't bear to see all the folks who are no longer with us. As much joy as we felt on our wedding day, I don't want my memories to be bittersweet. Still, explaining who was who to our munchkins, and listening to them belly-laugh when they saw me happily saunter down the aisle made everything right with the world again.

I lack the ability to write the words that adequately - or even remotely - express how lucky I feel that I've been able to spend my life with my wife. All I can do is ask for countless more years that are as charmed as the last 13 have been.

30 comments:

Trillian said...

Happy Anniversary!Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary!

HAAAAAAAAAA-PPY Anniversary!

Boy - it just doesn't come across the same in writing! But, in my head I was singing the Flintstones tune.

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary!

:)

Chris said...

Congratulations, and best wishes for the next 13 (and a hundred or so beyond that)!

Jezzy said...

Congrats. You sound like such a lovely couple.

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary! What a lovely tribute to your wife. I hope you let her read your blog. ;-)

Crazy Single Mom said...

you are truly blessed :-)

Beanhead said...

Happy Anniversary! It sounds like the perfect day if you ask me...:)

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversay, Carmi May you have many many more happy years ahead. :)

Anonymous said...

happy anniversary! i love grand bend, we've camped there a couple of times, i think it's called the pinery. we took a trail and came upon one of the most beautiful sunsets i've ever seen. hope you had a wonderful day.

Heather said...

Watching your wedding video with the kids is a great idea. I think I will do that next year.

Happy Anniversary!

Erica Kern O'Neill said...

Congratulations. I admire the fact that you have such a successful marriage and that you are open enough to share your love with your wife, family, friends and (in my case) strangers. I imagine your wife feels just as blessed to be with you...I'll have to check out her blog just to make sure!

Ms Mac said...

That's so lovely!
Happy anniversary, I wish you trillions more! :-)

Suzanne said...

sniff...sniff...that was just...sniff...lovely! I look forward to the future with the same anticipation!

Zinnia Cyclamen said...

A great story to read on this particular day, to remind me that small things can make 'everything right with the world again'. Thank you for that. And I wish you and your wife many more years of happiness and joy.

Thumper said...

I'm late, but HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! Spending it with the kids over pizza seems to me to be the perfect way to celebrate...they are, after all, one of the results of the commitment you made to each other.

Now the milestone anniversaries...ya gotta do those alone. And be sure to mention it to the waitress on your 20th that it's yout 20th, because you might get free ice cream :)

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary, Carmi!

I'm praying that you and all your loved ones are safe there in London. I am so saddened by this tragedy, and I know this must be a very difficult day for you all. I hope you are all safe!

carmilevy said...

Thank you all so much for your kind wishes. I'm touched at how kind you all are.

Quick clarification to alleviate any worries you may have: we live in the other London, the one in Ontario, Canada.

Although we're a world away from today's carnage in the UK, we join you all in praying for the innocent victims and their families, and for an end to this endless senselessness.

Mellie Helen said...

Congratulations and Happy Anniversary to you and your lovely bride.

Christine said...

The two of you are very lucky to have each other and three beautiful children. Happy Anniversary!!

kenju said...

Carmi, what a sweet post and a tribute to your family. They are lucky people. Happy Anniversary (and many, many more!)


Michele sent me this time.

Sarie said...

What a beautiful post.

MorahMommy said...

I have been very lazy lately, and haven't been writing on my blog, nor reading yours.

What a lovely post. It made my eyes well up just reading it.

It was a perfect day (Even with the rain) and I would not have traded our evening with our 3 munchkins for anything.

Happy Anniversary!

Panthergirl said...

What a beautiful post!!

How fortuitious that I got here via michele's non-meet 'n greet this weekend!

Michele said...

What a beautifull love letter written in post form. You are both so very lucky, ah, but you know this.

I feel very lucky to have been invited to read this post. Thank-you Carmi.

Sidenote: I know the beach at Grand Bend, it is lovely. Now when I think of it I shall also think of your love story.

kenju said...

Carmi, your anniversary post is just as good the second time as it was the first. I repeat, she is a lucky woman!!

Anonymous said...

A great post ! What a warm feeling you invoke on the readers. Truly a beautiful letter. your wife was probably misty eyed after she read it.

Karen said...

Carmi, you're right, this WAS a great post! I'm here via Michele's bopping around. Have a great weekend!

caramaena said...

Here via Michele's - lovely post!

Marisa said...

Carmi, this post brought a tear to my eye, especially the last paragraph. I'm so glad you shared this link with us on Michele's site.

Leah said...

Hi Carmi,
i hope you dont mind that I am linking your flintstone post to my Valentine
post. Thanks in advance