The Fourth

This year, I thought I'd share the less lovey-dovey wedding photos. Here, we have some pre-wedding jitters. Weddings are stressful.

Looks like Paul is the only one looking forward to this wedding. They were stuck in traffic. Chris was stressed. Hence the flask.

 Ah. Reunited! Together! SMILES! Almost-wedded BLISS.

As of today, Christopher Charles and I have been blissfully (right?) wed for same amount of time it takes to get a (real) 4-year degree.

In other words, we have a college-degree’s worth of marital knowledge. Why, one might EVEN call it my “M-R-S. DEGREE.”

There’s irony for you. Of course, Chris would then have his “MR. DEGREE.

Hey, do you want an example of a labored metaphor? See above.

In the meantime, what have I learned in four years? Cue “Pomp and Circumstance” and I shall recite:

• You get flowers and a 5-star restaurant on your first anniversary. A fancy home-cooked meal (on a budget, what with house being built and Baby coming and all) on your second. A quick sandwich together on your lunch hour for your third. And nada for your fourth. Because, well, planning takes time. And it landed on a Thursday. But you know what? That’s fine. We know we love each other.
• Division of labor. It cannot be fixed. It cannot be balanced. All you can do is hire somebody (cleaning ladies) to pick up the (his) slack.
• If you “let” him cook all the time pre-kid, he’ll continue it forever.
• Never, EVER learn how to work the lawn mower. I’ve gone 30+ years without ever mowing a lawn.
• On that note, claim the Diaper Genie is too complicated for you, so he always changes the bag. This worked for a whole year until business trips and poopy necessity required me to (sigh) change it myself. Now I'm the only one who does it.
• Tread lightly when it comes to cooking eggs. He’s weird about them for a reason. Accept it.
• Through the baby monitor, or crouched on the stairs, eavesdrop on him reading to and putting to bed your daughter. Your heart will melt. And you will forgive that for the 12th day in a row, he has not put away the laundry you so carefully and lovingly folded.
• Happily ever after? Why, happily ever after is now!

Happy four years, Mister! (Hey! Let's do the NICE kind of frozen pizza tonight! Yes? Yes!)

(Note. Since writing this post, Christopher Charles has informed me that he has cleared his schedule for Friday afternoon. Thus, after I attend Charlotte's Thanksgiving luncheon like the good little wife of 4 years I am, I shall meet him someplace urban and cool for anniversary cocktails! Huzzah!)