Lucky Number Seven

It was seven years ago today that I followed through on the smartest decision I have ever made.  I stood in front of a very small group of friends and family and exchanged wedding vows with the love of my life.  Leia and I have been through a lot together since that day, and there is still nobody else on earth that I would rather have by my side.  There is hardly a day that goes by that I don't reflect on just how lucky I am to have found someone that understands me so well, and loves me in spite of it.

Our marriage hasn't always been easy when it comes to the outside circumstances that surrounded us.  For the first couple of years, when we were fresh out of college, there were a lot of financial worries.  We were both unemployed twice, although thankfully never at the same time.  We actually had to pay our 2001 taxes using a credit card.   We also had to move several times, changing residences 6 times in just two years, and for the first year we were in a strange city that seemed half a world away from all of our family and friends.

Things didn't get much easier after we finally bought a house and got "settled".  We still couldn't seem to find jobs that we liked, and then several members of Leia's family died in close succession.  In four years we attended funerals for 7 people, ranging in age from 89 down to just 20.  I also lost my last surviving grandparent during that time.  For a while it seemed that there was always a specter of death hanging over our lives.  There was always someone close to us who had cancer, or had suffered a stroke, or had been told by a doctor that they only had a few weeks to live.  In dark times like that it can be easy to start pitying yourself and think that you have it worse than the others around you.

The only thing that made such times bearable was that Leia and I had each other.  We supported each other through every hardship, and although it was hell going through it, we have emerged from the other side just that much stronger, both as a couple and as individuals.  I know that everybody goes through hard times, and that our particular rough patches aren't unique, or even really that remarkable, but I'm really glad that I never had to experience any of these things alone.

As for the present, things in our lives are really good.  We made a move to Birmingham last year that has turned out to be great for many reasons.  We live closer to family and friends, we both have jobs that we love, and this city has been good for us financially.  The phrase "living the good life" comes to mind. If someone had handed this to us straight out of college we would certainly have taken it for granted, but now we appreciate every minute of it because of what we had to go through to get here.

So, to recap, the start of our marriage was full of challenges, but the present is all gravy.  And this keeps me from worrying too much about what the future has in store.  I know that as long as I have Leia in my corner I'll have everything I need to be happy.

Oh yeah, and Mass Effect.  I need Mass Effect too.  Guess what I asked for as an anniversary present?