Fourth Anniversary Festival

Raul and I are celebrating the four year anniversary of the weekend that we met- starting the day before yesterday and through today- we call it the "festival." There was never a day when we officially started our relationship. However, when met in New Orleans while he was visiting after auditioning for grad schools, we instantly made a connection that we both knew was extremely special. It has been a very happy four years, and I've been going through old pictures enjoying everything we have shared all over again. I thought it would be nice to post some of the video project Raul made for me a couple of years ago for my birthday- if only just to have it online as a backup. It tells the story of our first couple of years together. I'm leaving off the first and last sections because they have just have tons of names and only a few pictures from the weekend we met (which, if you dig, you can find on a post in this blog from the past). Anyways, this video is the most touching- and fun- gift I've ever received. Hope you enjoy it!

To Raul- I love you so much and thank you for this and all other little (and big) ways you make my life awesome.

part 2-keeping in touch after the weekend we met (part 1 is skipped)


part 3- arriving in Costa Rica!



part 4 -Costa Rica!



part 5- the semester after hurricane Katrina- I went to school in New Hampshire



part 6- Raul's 1st Christmas in New Orleans!



part 7- sweet message + Raul's winter 2005 travels


part 8- our first Mardi Gras together! The end!

My thoughts exactly.

Editorial: We'll miss you, Deuce - Editorials - Times-Picayune - NOLA.com

What I am, why, and how.

I am
a mistake maker,
a chance taker,
afraid--
standing at the edge of this
precipice,
preparing to jump into
house, husband, and hopefully a 9-to-5.

I am not
a subscriber to the "no-regrets" approach.
No.
My little bag of things-I-wish-I'd-done-or-hadn't
lies bedside me.

Each morning,
I reach over and fish out
one well-worn regret to relive--
to remember
so many times that undeserved Grace
came to me with Love.

Recalling this, maybe
throughout the day
I will not take every chance to turn away,
hold back,
judge,
reject,
or recoil.

Instead, perhaps
Grace will grow in me,
and fertilized by regret recalled, it will sprout openness,
fearlessness,
understanding,
sweet sweet reconciliation,
and the willingness to dive in deep.