Flowers don't last forever

OK, so details are a bit vague for some of us. My recollection of our first “non-date” starts earlier in the evening. I was at a rabbi's house learning about being Jewish (that’s another story) when my phone rang. It was at Heather saying she couldn't meet us for dinner she had to emergency baby sit. That would mean I'd have to go to dinner with Sim by myself. What would we talk about? Uncomfortable silences were all I could think about and the fact that I thought Sim really didn't like me. I was just Heather’s friend who was always there when he came to NJ to visit. I thought he was downright annoyed by me after he refused to even shake my hand one evening after dinner and ice cream...that had dripped onto my hand…but I'm sure I wiped it off (stop cringing). But, there was another thing in my head too. I liked Sim and found his conversation really interesting. I had always thought the woman who got to know and love Sim would be very lucky.He would love her, respect her and appreciate her…and she would get to go out to some amazing meals. Off I went to my dinner alone with Sim. And well, 13 years later I’d say that first “non-date” went very well.

My one of a kind engagement ring

I am that lucky girl...and even though thousands of miles separate us he still knows how to make me feel special. It has nothing to do with sending flowers. Flowers don't last forever but love, respect and wonderful memories do. This anniversary we are not together sharing dinner at some amazing restaurant or at home (where we’ve made some amazing dinners). Our house feels half empty without Sim, and I’ve managed to fill the temporary gap with various things and keep myself busy in the evening. It will be very nice to have Sim next to me instead of my iPad when he returns, in the meantime I've gotten very good at using the iPad.

Seems like yesterday we were standing in Charmaine Monday’s office saying our vows and exchanging "real" wedding ring and then ten minutes later we were married. Not that we needed her to tell us we were going to spend the rest of our lives together. I think we both knew that a few months into dating and after watching Mars Attacks (our first movie together)…which we both agreed sucked!

It was true then and is true now - You are the person I want to see when I wake up in the morning, sitting next to me on an airplane, across the table from me at a restaurant, at the finish line at the end of a race, sitting at the computer when I get home and when I go to sleep at night.

Happy Anniversary Sim, I love you.