Anniversary Edition...

or...
The story of an Alpha who gave up organization to marry the Beta he loved.

It has all of the makings of a great love story...or at least a cheesy made-for-tv movie. (In which I would be portrayed by the adorable yet plucky Valerie Bertinelli....) Yes, this weekend Beta Dad and I celebrated our eleventh wedding anniversary. Like all areas of my life, my relationship has now become fodder for the blog. (That sounds somewhat Dickensian - "You there, orphan, more fodder for the blog!")

Anywho, I've written numerous versions of this entry, all of which fall short of my incredibly high comic standards (well, if I had any standards they would be really, really high...like twelve feet or something). Each version aspires to cast some witty light on the trials and tribulations of our married life, the frenzy of being parents, and the irony of being dually so alike and so different. I keep missing the mark, erasing the words and starting over. None of it has the tone of what I'd really like to say.

So, instead, I'm going the ABC after school special route (Ironically, I would still be played by the timeless Ms. Bertinelli.)

It's hard being a parent - much harder than I ever dreamed. I can't imagine how my great friends who go it alone do it, and I hope I never have to. My husband is patient, loving and kind. I never learned how to count high enough to relate how many times in the past 11 years I've felt lost, hopeless or completely incompetent. He usually knows just what I need in the moment, whether it's help, empathy, or a swift kick in the ass (he seems to particularly enjoy the last option.) He opens up when he needs the same. He lets me boss him around, but he doesn't tolerate my crap. He has had nice things to say about every color my hair has been...even when he had to go to the thesaurus because he ran out of adjectives. He is smart and funny, yet humble at the same time. He's an amazing musician and artist, but he also knows every sporting ....um...thing...phrase....whatever you call it when you know a lot about sports (clearly not my arena). He stands up for me, even when it comes at a cost to him. He is a remarkable role model for our kids, and shares the responsibility of grounding our family when we lose touch. He recognizes my strengths and overlooks my weaknesses. There is no one who I would rather share the incredible chaos and joy with.

He puts up with my crazy and digs my funny.

I love you Beta Dad - Happy Anniversary.

Thanks, everyone, for putting up with my sentimentality. We will now return you to our regular programming.
Coming soon: Ye olde blogge; the story of a pioneer blogger in the 21st century.