Anniversary and New Beginnings

What a chilly morning for September 1st. It was 48 degrees this morning and I actually had to turn on heat in the car on my drive to work. Please, please, PLEASE let it be a long fall.

Actually, I'm more surprised that it is actually September already. It seems A and I have been on the go non-stop this summer. Fall means we celebrate our 10th anniversary but strangely enough we will be celebrating in the company of A's ex. We chose an actual anniversary date but we really celebrate August through September-all the little milestones of us coming together. After all, how do you decide what day to pick; is it your first date, first kiss, or first sex?

Ten years ago A and her ex had been split for over a year after a 16 year relationship. I was friendly with both of them and we had all been out several times for drinks/dinner. Then A and I had a shift in our relationship and suddenly the ex decided they were back together, A was cheating, and I was the "bitch" and "whore" who came between them. What a mess! So they broke all ties (on a very sour note) and A and I moved on with our life together. Since then we have only heard on occasion what the ex was doing...and mainly how much she still hated A. Suddenly this summer the ex contacted A and invited us to her home for dinner and to meet her wife and their children. I am immediately cautious (my honey calls me suspicious ), A is uncomfortable and we debate for nearly a week before be agree to accept the invitation. So we show up at the agreed time and had the uncomfortable first introductions and the 4 of us sat around the table sizing each other up. Thankfully there were other mutual friends and alcohol to help thaw the ice. Some way it all worked itself out (thanks to the wisdom of the ex's wife and I and our enlightening conversation about our significant others) and everyone is finally getting the closure they need. I am so happy for A to have finally reached this point of forgiveness; she took a lot of the blame, lost friends, and accepted the label as a the bad person. Since then we have been chatting and getting together on a regular basis.

A and I have a trip planned later in September as our private anniversary celebration. We are heading to a cabin on the lake in the north woods for an extended weekend. I can't wait for the privacy, great fall colors, ATV riding on the trails and listening to the loons on the lake every evening. Plus the cool weather is excellent for campfires and cuddling. Yippee!