10 Moments

2009: Paul tells Owen and Joel, over frozen waffles, "I sure do love your Mom."

2008: I reveal to Paul that my pregnancy-induced eczema is actually the result of me rubbing soap all over my dry skin, mistakenly thinking it was lotion. He smiles and says, "That's Nance!"

2007: Paul says, "I would be happy living anywhere with you."
"Even Southern California?" I counter.
"Don't push it," he replies.

2006: Nine months pregnant. Surly. Paul says, "You've never looked more beautiful."

2005: We're on the top of a green hill in Baxter State Park, Maine. Looking over the landscape, holding hands, eating trail mix. Perfection.

2004: Paul's on his three-month rotation in Rockville, MD. We take the Metro everywhere, eat Ethiopian food, and pretend to be urban hipsters.

2003: The fourth day of being housebound due to an ice storm. Paul rolls his eyes and says, "Did you really have to dress the dog in my boxer shorts?" Yes, Paul. Yes I did.

2002: Every Saturday: Wake up around nine, get breakfast, hike Sabino Canyon, putter, read, sleep, dream.


2001: Wednesday nights, we ride our bikes to the university, listen to the Frank Sinatra impersonator at Frog and Firkin and drink Black and Tans.


2000: We have a pregnancy scare. I make 22,000 a year. Paul is a full-time student on the GI Bill. He says, "Well, a curtain climber running around would be okay."

1999: June 12th. As Paul says, "I do," he is holding back tears. I'm grinning like I won the lottery.

(Because I did.)