Dear Diary,
One of my most favorite books to read as a child was, "The Secret Garden." I was even more excited when we got to read it in elementary school... and again, when I found out that we would be using class time to watch the video (yes, on VHS)... and even MORE excited to hear that included with the video was a dainty silver locket.
There was a catch, though... it only came with one locket, but there were more than twenty students in each class. The prize needed to be given away fairly, so one of the teachers mentioned writing names on slips of paper, leaving the outcome to chance. But my heart was set on that little necklace and I didn't like those odds. I had to do something about it.
So, generally-shy little me worked up the nerve to raise my hand and suggest a different idea: a trivia competition. We would all be quizzed about the book, and the winner would keep the locket. "Plus, it'll save paper from being wasted." I was determined.
The odds were much better now and I knew the book from cover to cover.
I also knew exactly what I wanted to do with the locket when I won it. Not "if"... "when".
And I did.
I remember racing home from the bus with my shiny new treasure, digging out photos I'd been collecting, measuring the space I needed to fill, and getting to work.
It was perfect. I wore it to school every day after that for the longest time.
Fast-forward more than twenty years... tonight, my oldest sister, Jenn, walked up to me with a smirk while I was rocking Norah to sleep.
"Close your eyes and open your hand..."
"Is it a bug? I swear Jenn, if it's something alive again, I'm going to get you back!"
"No, it's not... trust me. You'll like this one."
And I did.
I knew from first sight what it was because I remembered how hard I worked to get it. You don't easily forget something like that. And I knew what was inside because it took quite a while to find pictures with the proper cutable dimensions to fit ... this was back when you had to wait days or weeks for photos to be developed from rolls of film, back when the concept of "one-hour photo" was a myth for us common folk, and back when you couldn't just press a button to print whatever size image you needed.
I was sentimental even as a kid... and look where we are now... same boy, same girl... only now, with a family of our own.
Sincerely,
me.
I'm not typically one of those people who flamboyantly celebrates "mini-versaries" of things... especially relationships. I'm not the "Happy 8 weeks and 3 days of being a facebook couple!" type [and I'm still not]. But this is my exception.
[This might not be coming out so well because I'm also fighting a migraine at the moment and words are a bit jumbly in my head]
6 months ago--ironically (or algorithmically) also on a Friday the 13th while we were watching a horror film, Nathan 'asked' me to be his girlfriend... again... 20-some years after he didn't even ask the first time, just assumed I was (but I definitely was)... he didn't even technically ask this time either... just kind of put that we were "in a relationship"...so I guess we've been dating this whole time after all. 😛
Long distance isn't inherently easy. But we make it work. 6 months into all of this and he's been with me through more than some couples are faced with even years into their relationship.
I'm writing this from the inside of a hospital room on quite arguably the most isolated floor in the entire hospital (air-lock entrance/exit, scrubbing in, mandatory mask/glove wearing, no eating/drinking, etc) and he has been with me through the whole transplant process.
From the unnerving initial wait to find out if I was a match for my Mom to all of the health evaluations, exams, timelines, he's been there. And patient with me--even staying on video calls with me through the night while I'm here-- just to make sure I'm okay.
I just... I feel so much better with him around...calmer... regardless of if we're falling asleep together watching a movie from 800 miles away, laughing at one of our shows, critiquing each other's cooking methods, making jokes, or whatever other silly shenanigans we get ourselves into... and I have never felt so loved.
I don't have the greatest history of making exceptional choices, but 6 months ago I made the best one ever.
❤ Happy halfi-dating-versary, Charming. You're my person.
[Don't get used to it though... after this it's just the yearly ones. Hahaha]
Kaleidoscopic Grace 