Kind of Fond of Him

I'm a tad fond of Ray. I was just thinking about how our wedding anniversary is coming up. It's on the 18th and we are at big ol' number 10 this year.

How we got to 1o years, I will never know. Time just kind of slipped away. You know, while we were doing things! (No, no...things. Not *things*!!!) And suddenly I find myself on the cusp of our 10th wedding anniversary, with a little house and two growing boys. My own business. A partner who is well employed. And I am amazed.

It didn't start like this. When we got married we were both "under employed". Meaning we had jobs, but made almost nothing for money. We did not own a car. We couldn't afford one! And kids were on the table, but in a far-off kind of way. Hell, if we couldn't afford a car...

Then, two weeks after we were married, Ray lost his job. It was one of those catastrophic job losses. We had no idea what we were going to do. And, out of no where, I got my first job in my field. And a car. And a looooooooooong commute. We moved to the GTA a few months later. In the spring, Ray went back to school. I made more money. Ray spent more. We were both nervous about it. And we lived in a crappy apartment.

Then he graduated. Right after the tech bubble burst. And there were no jobs in his field. He searched. Then worked a retail job for 6 months (while volunteering in his field one of his two days off a week). I worked like crazy and made good money. We were afloat. Six months into this mass insanity, he got a job in his field. The money jingled, but did not fold from that job, but he loved it and it was in his field.

And then I lost MY job. It was the end of my contract. It was supposed to be 6-8 weeks and had turned into 2.5 years. I laughed. I couldn't help it. I knew things would work out. I spent the summer at home and Ray worked. Fall came and I got another job. That job SUCKED. I worked there for 4 years. Stupid, but true.

We saved money and bought a house. Started talking about kids. We had Xander. Ray got a REALLY good job just as I went on maternity leave. He's still there. The money folds!

I went back to the sucky job for 6 months, while my hair was falling out from the stress. I quit and started my own business. We decided to have another baby. Then Liam arrived. Chaos ensued.

We've had some vacations. Gone away with friends. Fought some. Stomped around some. Agreed lots. Cried here and there. And laughed LOTS!

Xander is going to school on Wednesday for the first time. Real school. It's amazing. Liam is a toddler and off on his toddler errands. I am working more and more.

And Ray, well Ray is kind of the same. He putters a lot. He's not very organized. He cooks well. He's good with the kids. He infuriates me one moment and makes me howl the next. He's still the person I want to tell all my little moments of the day to and the person who listens to me complain loudly when someone is being stupid. He holds my hand when we are driving long distances. He held me when I gave birth to Xander. He held Xander as they stitched me back up too! And he drove me all over town while I was in labour with Liam. He also was right beside me when Liam was born.

We've shared all of it, but it has gone in the blink of an eye.

And I am still kind of fond of him after all of this. I think I will keep him.