I heard this song on the radio this morning and I thought of you. It has always been one of the songs that I felt summed us up perfectly. You are the greatest gift that I've ever received. To say "I love you", is an understatement.
The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter. ~ Mark Twain
This one's just for you, my love.
Willow made a post yesterday about laughter and challenged all her bloggy friends to find a picture of themselves laughing and post it. Most of my readers know that laughter is the cornerstone of Steph's and my relationship. If it weren't for the sense of humor that we've been able to display through some really rough times, I seriously doubt that I would be sitting here still crazy in love with this person whom I claim to be my best friend and the love of my life.
The above photo was taken at Laxenburg, just about 10 miles outside of Vienna, Austria a little over three years ago. Steph and I were in the middle of being filmed for the documentary "Mozartballs". Our screenwriter, Thomas Wallner, caught Steph and me in a moment of silliness and captured it on his camera phone.
One of the things that Steph and I have always dreamed of having is a beautiful bedroom. After all, our bedroom is the room where our relationship flourishes. We spend more time together in this room than in any room in the house. It is where Steph has her office and does her web design, and unlike many families, we don't have a television in the living room, (we don't have a separate family room), we each have a television in our own rooms. It is also the room where we spend most of our time talking together and dreaming together.
The last eight years have been difficult ones for us as a couple--right after we moved back to Stillwater, Steph's mother had a stroke and we moved her, along with Steph's son, Joel in with us. After that, I got emergency custody of all three of my children, and soon after that, we moved into the house where we live now. Not four months after we moved in here, Steph's mother died unexpectedly, and then about a year-and-a-half later, Steph's youngest son, Micah, came to live with us. Steph and I have spent the last several years as a couple taking care of everyone else and seeing to it that their needs were met first, and rightfully so. However, our needs seemed to get neglected, perhaps too often. Finally, this year, we had a financial "break-through" and things have started looking brighter, so when my income tax refunds and stimulus check came through, we decided to spend it on us. We've been working all week on this project, and here it is!
The two photos are of our bedroom--before and after. (In the before picture you'll see a picture insert on the top left of what we wanted to do with the wall behind our, bed, but we changed our minds and didn't paint the stripes, after we got it all together.)
Yesterday was a great day. Steph and I drove to Tulsa for the afternoon where she had an eye doctor's appointment. While we waited for Steph's glasses to be made at Lens Crafter's, we drove over to Mimi's Cafe for a late lunch and then walked through the mall and window shopped. We didn't buy anything, but it we had loads of fun just being together. While walking around, we saw one of those kitschy little photo booths that you see on the boardwalks at Cony Island and ducked in to have our picture made together. We laughed and cut up with one another. Then after Steph got her glasses fitted, we drove back home and went to the new wine bar in town, Zannotti's where we enjoyed a wonderful Pinot Grigio and a cheese plate.
It was a completely enjoyable day.
Today Steph and I are celebrating the 7th anniversary of our Holy Union service, which was held at the College Hill Presbyterian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. We publicly acknowledged and celebrated our love and commitment to one another in the presence of those who understood that love is just that--love. Family who celebrated with us were my precious Aunt Pat, who although she didn't quite understand completely, opened her heart and accepted us, and my daughter, Lauren, whose loving and open spirit rejoiced with us in our happiness. The rest were some of our close friends and the supportive members of the College Hill congregation.
One day, when this country wakes up and realizes that love isn't about one's gender,(or perceived gender), and that people should be free to share their lives with whomever they choose to share them, then we will be legally married.
I adore you, Steph. You're everything I have ever wanted or needed.
 |
 |
| Lynette Erwin |
Betterist in: |
Back to TOP
