19th July, 1990

(the day that I met my husband/best friend/soul mate/previously I'd have said lover but now we have children!)

So today is the 19th anniversary of my hubby Al and I meeting up and getting together. It was a drunken University evening that was blurry at the time but even blurrier now!

So what do we do on our anniversary? So far this year, he has gone for a bike ride with his mates, I have gone for a walk with a friend, we have done some washing and cleaned up the kitchen. We have put the kids into their rooms for an hour for the sake of their sanity (and ours!) And this afternoon grocery shopping, birthday party runs and someone is dropping by to pick up our now unused cot. Romantic, huh?

But the comfort of our relationship certainly wasn't there this time 19 years ago. Amid all the passion and stomach flutters was a nervousness and an uncertainty in ourselves and each other that only time has waned. OK , so the passion might have waned too but we are, for the most part, still in agreement in where we want to go in life, what we want for the kids and what flavour yoghurt to have next.

In the past couple of years, amid the chaos of young children, Al has found bike riding and I have found my sewing and crafting. We seem to have conquered our "me" time, at least as well as we can with the kids. But we are recognising that importance of re-finding our "we" time. Not easy when we have no local family and no regular babysitters. Friday night has become date night (which is stay at home but once the kids are in bed, eat adult food and talk adult talk and maybe watch a DVD that isn't rated "G"), so far pretty unsuccessfully. With house guests, prep for birthday parties and illnesses, we have only managed some quality time about twice in the past couple of months.

But the important thing is that we keep trying!

"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I would never have to live without you." Winnie the Pooh

OK so technically it doesn't work unless we are both the same age but let's not get picky. I am a sucker for all things romantic (and also for Pooh) But Al is 2 years younger than me and today I have been in his life for half of his existance. In 2 years, he will have been with me for half of mine.

Here's to the next 19. (They will involve teenage children. Be afraid. Be very afraid!)

Love you always, Al

PS I bought him a Mint Pattie (his favourite) when I did the grocery shopping this afternoon. Who says romance is dead?