Happy Anniversary To Us All

18 roses. One for each of the years we've known each other PLUS one for each of the years we've been married. He's always been different. :-D


Well, it's five years today. Five years since Husband and I have been married and to celebrate, I will give you all a present - I will give you his first initial and use that from now on - Mr. T. No, not the gold-chain wearing actor turned minister. My own, slighty less bulky version whom I sometimes call Teddy Bear because that's what he reminds me of, a 6' 3" Teddy bear. And no, his real name isn't Teddy. That's just a coincidence.

So Mr. T and I have been married for five years and in case that somehow feels familiar, yes, we were married 3 days before the famous and infamous 9/11. We went to Jamaica for our honeymoon. It was about 8 a.m. when I got up that lovely island morning and he was already downstairs at the gym. I turned on the TV and thought I was seeing things. A weird morning movie perhaps? I literally did that rub-my-eyes-shake-my-head-and-blink thing and saw I was indeed watching the news. I was stunned and immediately I thought of our 1 1/2-year-old son who was with my parents in Georgia far away from the havoc - thank God. But things were shutting down and some people were supposed to be flying out but couldn't. Minor chaos ensued.

Mr. T came through the door to tell me what happened, his eyes wide in amazement, and I told him I had seen the astounding video. We were - selfishly - glad that we still had days left on our honeymoon and wouldn't have to get caught up in the immediate madness trying to figure out how to get back to our mainland. May as well take advantage of the all-you-can-eat buffet. But first, we paced around the pay phones downstairs that were very busy that day and got through to my parents just to touch bases. Everyone was fine and we knew Son would be too no matter how long we might be stuck. No one would be coming in or going out so we wouldn't have to worry about losing our hotel room, if it came to that.

We carried on with our vacation, listening to the Jamaican drivers who truly sympathized and eavesdropping on the conversations of stranded Americans. It was and still is amazing how easily we acknowledged each other at that time - despite our varying regions and states of origin - when terrorism was striking in our homeland. Despite history, we were all truly proud to be Americans that week.

So five years later Mr. T. and I can never forget how long we've been married because all of America is keeping count for us. Frankly I think all the years we had before we married - 7 of them - should count in that anniversary total too but that's OK. There's something about our being linked to this event. I really don't know what it is. After 7 years of struggle and working to build the foundation we eventually settled ourselves on, while those towers were shaken to their very foundations 3 days later....well, just goes to show how fragile things really are. But Mr. T and I have God, a greater foundation than man can ever build so I'm not worried about any act of outside terrorism trying to tear us down. That would take the work of our own hands and I, for one, am no fool. (Hopefully, Mr. T isn't either.)

Five years later, we've got a second child and maybe - finally - the possibility of our first home on the horizon. We've got jobs we love and use our talents regularly. We're happy. I suppose the families of the 9/11 victims may not feel as contented. This is not an anniversary they were wishing for. But hopefully, as in a marriage, we as Americans have used this horrible act of evil to strengthen our resolve to work together and stay together. I certainly feel that bond tightening every anniversary as flags are flown in business courtyards and posted on bridges over the highway in honor of all those lost lives. My heart swells every time I see that and I'm so proud of us all for not letting evil tear us down.

So where were YOU on that fateful day?