Some Songs to Celebrate Eight Great Years, Part 3

In October 2004 (basically over the course of the whole month), I fell in love with a very good friend of mine. It turned my whole world upside down and changed everything for the better. To celebrate that happening eight years ago, I thought I'd share a few songs that make me think of us and the life we've built together.

 

Song #3: "January Wedding" by The Avett Brothers

 

"True love is not the kind of thing you should turn down."

 

I loved this song the first time I heard it because it was released a few months after we had our own January wedding. For the longest time, we weren't sure whether we would get married. Truth be told, having Charlie together is what made us seem most married. Nevertheless, shortly after Charlie was born, I had the opportunity to reduce my work hours to part-time and spend more time at home with our then-littlest one, and I needed access to Josh's health insurance to make it work. Pretty romantic, huh?

 

Actually, treating our wedding like a minor administrative function turned out to be quite romantic. It was a freezing cold Monday in January when we got married at the courthouse. It was Chinese New Year, the first day of the Year of the Ox, a very practical sign (being an ox, I should know). I forgot my camera, so there are no actual pictures of us getting married, which is probably good since Charlie was sick and had thrown up on me at least three times that day and I didn't feel much like being photographed. We didn't have any rings (I got mine later, Josh still doesn't have one).

 

Nevertheless when we stood there saying our vows, beautifully written by the judge who married us, it felt exactly like a celebration of our relationship should. We were just a couple of best friends, raising kids together that were grown up enough to know that responsibility only enhances true love.