Being the word nerd writer that I am, it might seem surprising that I did not push for B and I to write our own vows when we got married. While I may have considered it a time or two, I’m pretty sure I knew deep down that I would have a hard time getting through the standard ones without sobbing, much less personalized ones just for us. So the traditional route we went; maybe someday we’ll do a kick-ass vow renewal and go all self-made then, eh?

For now I’m taking comfort in the familiar, in the traditional, in part because my husband has done such a stellar job of honoring me in sickness this week.

While things have gone pretty well with my recovery, I have not always been an easy patient. In fact, I’ve been downright snippy at times and sad and whiney at others. He’s rolled with it all and set alarms each night to make sure I never missed a dose of pain meds or antibiotics, or a snack or drink. Rock. Star, this guy.

And he’s even been kind enough to continue calling me Pretty Mama as he always does and greeting me as “Beautiful” which is downright remarkable considering that I haven’t showered since Monday morning and have been wearing a nose diaper since Monday afternoon. Even though it would be real easy to tell him to stuff it or flat-out roll my eyes at him, I’m trying real hard to accept his compliments as genuine and let them serve as part of my recovery process because this has always been his way.

In fact, ten years ago, this week, is when B first proposed to me (yes, there was a second one, even though I said yes the first time, because he got me a birthstone ring initially and a diamond later on). I was visiting him in Hastings between semester breaks at grad school and was sick, sick, sick with a nasty head cold (funny how some things never change – but hopefully will now, post-surgery!). While I remember having lasagne for our meal that night, I’m sure I couldn’t taste or smell it. And even though I was totally surprised when Ben got down on one knee, I knew it was genuine then, too, and about our hearts because clearly it was not some glamorous, picture-perfect moment.

In our almost decade of married life since, I’ve learned that most moments aren’t. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth documenting, and so here we are…still leaning on and learning from each other, especially in the most real of times.

The good news is, we have health and healing to celebrate on this, the final day in 2015. B had a mole removed a week and a half ago and just this morning had his stitches taken out; and I, well I got in at 11 this morning and the stints are no more! The hubs was there with me, of course, and he couldn’t believe how big they were. I couldn’t believe how much the release and relief from having them removed was similar to childbirth! That being said, my body is ready for rest, recovery, and no more “deliveries” — at least for a while. 😉