Friday, September 4, 2009

We Got Married in the Last Century

Today is our 14th wedding anniversary. Sometimes I tell people that I was a child bride, and it's basically true.


Note the no-nonsense ponytail. I would like to go back in time and work that hairstyle a little more. And here we are a few weeks before our wedding.

I look at this now and think, "Oh my lord, somebody tell those people that they are CHILDREN." Our friend Rick, who was with us on this day fourteen years ago, is here visiting, and last night we were reminiscing about the high-powered careers we had when we got married. Matt was cutting grass, and I was unemployed. Our fortunes took a turn for the better when I got a job as a temp at the local medium-security prison. I am not even kidding about that. And they loved me there. They offered me a permanent job. AS A GUARD. Again, I am totally serious. So it's been a long and interesting journey for the two of us. When I hear people say they can't get married because they're not financially ready, I don't understand what they mean. It seems the opposite to me. Pick the right person and then join forces with him or her, just as soon as you possibly can.

So today while Laura was at school, we had a romantic lunch, with Hank in tow. A romantic lunch for three at Chipotle. I'm not sure what we'll do to celebrate properly. We agreed that we're still feeling the celebratory effects of our trip to Australia and to Vanuatu, and that we've had a lot of good couple-time this summer.

That lunch was the high point in the day. A not-so-high point was when Hank pooped in his pants at Home Depot. It's the first time we've had a Level 2 Event in public. I will spare you the clinical details. I'll just say that we avoided major public embarrassment and nobody cried. I called Matt from the car and told him I was incoming with a bio-emergency and to please clear the decks and give me everything he had. And we all made it through. Also, while I was pushing a toxic Hank to the car, a dude who worked at Home Depot told me, "Hey, I like your top." So, I guess we put that in the plus column? And I got a gorgeous huge pot of white mums.

I need a cocktail now. Please enjoy a long, langorous weekend.

26 comments:

Michele said...

Happy Anniversary!

JR and I had high power careers when we got married also. I worked part-time as a cashier and JR was a part-time DJ at the local radio station.

Veronica said...

Happy anniversary!

Keely said...

Hahhahah! Paul and I were both bartending, and we never bothered with the 'getting married' part ;) I imagine what most people mean is that they intend to have a huge and expensive wedding that they can't really afford, but I think it's like having children. You just make it happen somehow.

Cassie said...

Happy Anniversary!

delaine said...

I look at those pictures of your wedding day with a smile. You both were young, yes. But you were in love, and I never doubted that you would be happy together. And you have been. So it seems like a natural extension of your wedding pictures to imagine a scene where it's taking the two of you to clean up bio-hazard Hank. Think of the lives you have created. What fun!! Let's drink to the next 14 years !

Melissa said...

Well, I had to comment on this post. I almost wrote last night about Hank, because I was practically in tears, and because I too believe he has actual light shining from him, but I abstained. Tonight I will wish you a Happy Anniversary (which I did not know about) and tell you that Mark and I were also on some pretty high powered career paths when we first got together. He was a sales associate at The Finish LIne (a sporting goods store) and I was a waitress at TGIFridays. I was so good at that job that I had to go get a second job as a cashier at Publix, a job that did not depend entirely on tips.

Becky said...

Thanks guys!

And hey Melissa! Look everybody, it's Pretty Neighbor! She delurked! I am cracking up that the tip system at TGIFridays did not catapult you to riches. Waitressing is pretty much the only job I never did. I would have enjoyed all the pieces of flair, I think.

Amy said...

Melissa, did you wear enough Flair? Cause that helps with tips, I think! I feel like I'm meeting a celebrity--it's Pretty Neighbor! Our first jobs after marriage: I was a church secretary, Jason was a part time janitor at the church. Of course, now that we are the pastors, I am a church secretary and Jason is the janitor, among other things.

Happy anniversary, Beck! Even though I am jealous of your tanned legs in that second pic. Yes, still jealous after 14 years, because that's what sisters are for.

We had a similar poop situation with Nate in my beloved Ikea. I just tossed his undies--they were too far gone, and I was kidding myself to hope for resuscitation.

The Dental Maven said...

Hey Girl! Happy Anniversary! Was nice of Hank to give you something by which to remember your 14th!

Jane said...

Happy Anniversary, Becky!

Michele R said...

What's up with not texting a certain neighbor on Friday due to a needed anniversary meal? JK!!
I'm with you on the marrying when not financially stable. Oh, I had a good job as a copywriter. It just paid 13k/yr. Hubs had a job at a landscape co. It's easy to merge bank accounts when there's not much of his and hers to begin with. I'd better stop before I get melancholy over the good ole days.
Happy anniversary!! Since it is on a Fri you get to celebrate the whole weekend long.

David said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
David said...

Happy Anniversary, Dudes!... And I really really love that ponytail, so don't hop in your time machine just yet!

The Stiletto Mom said...

Awww...look at you guys! Also, I had that exact same hat way back when.

Congrats on your anniversary!

Bren said...

Didn't it seem, at the time, like ages passed between your wedding and ours? And the birth of your first child and ours? They were nanoseconds. Happy Anniversary!

Camp Papa said...

Based on our experience of marrying as teenagers, your mother and I weren't worried at all about y'all. From a father's perspective, having your daughter well married to a man who would lay down his life for her is a great source of peace of mind.

As for whether to marry or not...very often too much attention is paid to the wedding and not enough to the marriage. (Do I sound like ever old man in the world?)

Zion said...

Ah Michelle beat me to it, I was wondering why you didn't text frenemy neighbor too ;)
I really was a child bride. I was a hostess at the Olive Garden and my husband had an office job in Dallas, but didn't make enough to put us anywhere near being financially ready for marriage.
You looked beautiful on your wedding day by the way.

Becky said...

Aw, thank you Messy Mom! And Dad, it's okay that you sound like every old man in the world. "Bring Papa some more whiskey and I'll tell you all about marriage!" I kid, you know I love it.

Brenda, it is so true--when you had G two months before I had Laura, I leaned on you as the expert mother. And of course, since Matt and I have been married three weeks longer than you two, please feel free to come to us if you ever have any questions about the birds or bees. ;)

bernthis said...

Your summer sounds glorious. I was with my ex for 14 years. I look at my hairstyle when we met and i could cry

Leciawp said...

Happy anniversary!! Such a well written post; my husband had to read it over my shoulder as I was laughing so loudly. Sorry to hear about Hank's bio-emergency... and the comment from the employee about your top. When that happens to me I always wonder, "should I never wear this again?"

Anonymous said...

From child bride to Incoming Biohazard... ah girl, you make it all sound so effortless & glam! Happy anniversary, you crazy kids.

Now, do WHUT??? The cone of silence has been penetrated?? (Um, I mean, Welcome, Pretty Neighbor! We've been waiting for you!)

gretchen said...

Happy Anniversary! Jimmy hit 14 in September! Yikes. And I love the pictures, you were so cute. I mean, you're still cute, but...oh, you know what I mean.

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary. I hope you did something for just the two of you (for example, something not involving bio-waste) over the weekend.

Jenni said...

happy anniversary!

Lawyer Mom said...

"Our fortunes took a turn for the better when I got a job as a temp at the local medium-security prison." -- Girl, you have so been holding out on us.

missynall said...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! We celebrated 20 years this summer! I WAS a child... 20 years old... couldn't even drink at our ceremony. That was ok... according to my mother it was just a "punch and cookie" affair. :) Our first furniture was all hand-me-downs. We had matching loveseats-brown with high arms and lousy springs. You'd sit down in one and not be able to see the other person in the other one. I HATED those couches. We also had the coffee table my husband made in SHOP CLASS in high school. I don't think his mother could have given it to me any faster. We slept on a worn, used, old mattress donated from my sister in laws "fish camp style" beach house. It was worn, used and old when they first took it there and THEN we got it years later. We drove the USED car that was USED when his older brother (older by 12 years) bought it. We took pride in how cheaply we could cook dinner... Ramen noodles usually won. There weren't a lot of perks or extras and we LOVED it and wouldn't trade that "bleak" start for anything!
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to a couple that has grown together and can appreciate all of the wonderful things you've built together!