Days 138-141: Our First Anniversary!

Two days ago we celebrated our first anniversary. Living in "the time of COVID[-19]" has changed a lot of the plans we made this time last year-but not this one. My husband is still my husband and the love that was there on a warm July evening in 2019 is reiterated and resounding in every hug and every smile we share today. Loving actions may have changed from going out to the movies and having big parties with friends to cleaning each others' masks and providing support when the heaviness of this time closes in, but we are still here, fighting for the best part of our lives together.

I know people say the first year is hard, but my goodness, the once in a lifetime pandemic really punctuated that for us this year! When we were picking our wedding songs, we did not realize what we were inviting when we danced to "Come What May."

...but maybe that is the point. Come what may, we are still here.

We celebrated with gifts, champagne, and re-watching our wedding video together. Every day for the last month, Alex has written me a small snippet of a larger poem on a notecard with a clue on the back of the card about my gift. I loved 4-3-2-1!

The clues were really fun (we both LOVE word puzzles) and the poem was beautiful.

My mom also gave us a beautiful and poignant gift of beautiful champagne flutes that she received as a gift from my dad nine years ago on their 21st anniversary.

Having role models in my life who displayed such unconditional love has always shown me that while Disney movies did not get everything right...they were right on with the truth that there is a love that endures in the face of everything life can throw at you. I aspire to be half as good a partner to my husband as my parents were for each other.

We finished off the evening with some of the top tier of our wedding cake, which Alex's parents (yet another example of a true power couple) had saved for us. So much love from every direction.

I have always believed that love is an action. Being "in love" does not mean everything is beautiful and easy. Love is the commitment to walk the difficult paths and remain hand-in-hand; catching the other person when they stumble. Laughing when you both fall in the mud. Providing that forgiving hand to pull the other person back up when they trip--accepting the hand that is offered.

Thank you for walking this path with me, Alex. I look forward to holding your hand every day, and the hands of all the people who provide so much love and support to us in growing our marriage. Let's continue into this next year continuing to embody our motto and vow of being "selfless and strong, together or not at all." Happy 1st Anniversary, a stor mo chroi [heart of my heart]!

Prepare, don't panic,

-Allison