Monday, December 17, 2012

What's the Gift for 24 Years?

Next year will be our silver anniversary but what is this years?  Is it the Linoleum Anniversary?  Faux Fur? Tupperware?  Whatever it is, we've reached it.  What a fairy tale it's been.  I mean look...here's a wedding picture that proves it must have been happily ever after, right?


Ok, so it snowed on our wedding day but I can't snow all of you.  Any of you who have been together any appreciable amount of time know life isn't a fairy tale.  There are times when it's a horror movie or a freak show.  But hey, Mr. Lime and I are each other's freaks (as evidenced here and here) and we've gotten this far together.

Folks who know us both sometimes scratch their heads because we have such divergent personalities.  They can't understand what brought us together or what keeps us together.  To that I say, "Duct tape and bungee cords!"  In that answer is expressed as much truth as humor. He may be the jock to my couch potato, the workaholic to my homebody, the reticent clam to my Chatty Cathy, and the impulsive knee-jerker to my agonizing deliberator but we both laugh at the same things...and we are both incredibly stubborn people.

Some years we have looked back and celebrated with laughter.  Some years we have looked each other in the eye with something more akin to, "I swear to God I will out last you!"  This year, there has been a lot of reflection during the period of rest after a long stretch of circumstantial suck in our shared life. It's been a good process.  I'm not happy for what it took to bring us to that point but I am glad we are there...so we can share some more laughs and channel that mutual stubbornness to surviving this world together.


22 comments:

(not necessarily your) Uncle Skip said...

I think I know what you mean

Craig said...

Well, lessee. . . the 25th is silver, so you're not quite to that yet. . . pewter was the 10th, I think, so. . . cubic zirconia?

Sincere congratulations to you and your hubs. I know that a lot of stubbornness, uh, determination has gone into the two of you arriving at this point. And our experience has been that shared suffering (which, as you say, we sure wouldn't have sought out) has brought us to a good place that we never imagined.

Blessings to you both, and to your life together, for years to come. . .

stephen Hayes said...

You guys might be stubborn but marriage requires a lot of work and isn't something that can be taken for granted. Congratulations on making it this far.

Kat said...

Haha! And that is marriage. Very well summed up. :)
Happy Anniversary!!!!

Bijoux said...

Have a fantastic anniversary and make the upcoming year your best yet!

Sailor said...

Congratulations! I hope your next years are the 'celebrate with laughter' kind!

Anonymous said...

isn't 24 spandex????

and i had a plaid sportcoat like that...in 2nd grade

for a different kind of girl said...

Duct tape and bungee chords. I think you've got your answer there!

:)

Hilary said...

Happy Anniversary to you both. Wishing you many, many more.

silly rabbit said...

I think its the food anniversary. We all show up with pot-luck and you get to throw us out when you get tired of us milling about, eating. Then the two of you can go to bed, sigh and be glad that this one was over and that the guests used paper plates. Soon to be followed by strange dreams from the curious dishes you'd eaten.
Perhaps a corker involving a chocolate covered celeb.

Jazz said...

Congratulations on getting there. Happily for the most part. Maybe two really stubborn people is what it takes for a marriage to actually work long term.

Daryl said...

i think for 24 yrs you get a voucher for the silver anniversary which is the 25th ;)

Suldog said...

We've found that mutual stubbornness is not all that bad a basis for a relationship so long as mutual humor is also there. Congratulations on your 24th!

There apparently isn't a 24th gift, per se, but we will allow you to enjoy what WE do. Since we were married on Leap Day, we only celebrate an anniversary every four years. So, you folks would now be on your SIXTH. And, according to some sources, the 6th anniversary gifts are candy and iron. So make some fudge then stab each other (or some other combination of the two more to your liking.)

Jim & HIS WIFE
xxxooo

Craver Vii said...

Congratulations on your Linoleum Anniversary!! My prayer for you is that your union be more and more blessed with each passing year.

Craig said...

That goatee looks better on you than it probably should, BTW. . .

;)

Commander Zaius said...

Congrats!

"I swear to God I will out last you!"

Bwhahahahahaha!
I'd like to tell a personal story but that would relate to that comment but I just can't no matter how much I desperately want to.

Cheesy said...

I believe it is musical instruments?? So maybe a nice concert AND congratz!

Logophile said...

24th... I think it is chocolate
;)
Go get some, you deserve it!
Happy Anniversary.

Dave said...

Well done both of you and Happy Anniversary. May you both see many more! - Dave

(M)ary said...

Congratulations! I think my parents were having a surprise baby ( my sister) around the 24 th anniversary....soooooo...that's a gift that keeps on giving.( soccer games, teen drama in the golden years)

Leave It To Davis said...

Congratulations on making it this far! Marriage is something you have to work at. Both of you. And it isn't easy....but it is worth every minute....and when you get to retirement, having someone to hang around is mighty nice...someone who knows you inside out. My hubby and I are much like you and yours...opposite, but complimentary to each other. Hope you make it to your 75th!

Unknown said...

I love an authentic piece of writing--not one all about putting false shine on reality. I prefer reality.

And this bit--"there has been a lot of reflection during the period of rest after a long stretch of circumstantial suck in our shared life"--is just terrific honesty. Without honesty, nothing can ever happen.

Stubborn? Humor? Pretty foundational stuff, really.