In the end.. there is always Love.

Today is my 1st wedding anniversary (American Style) to my Egyptian. We sealed the deal (officially/legally) in a mosque in Birmingham, Alabama.

When I look back at this wild and crazy year, it is funny to think I was hobbling up to the Hoover Crescent Islamic Center in a "boot" on my right leg, supporting a chronically sprained ankle. ;-)

I think that was a sign of things to come.

It was hard walking in there.. hobbling in. I sat, I accepted, I loved.

I held on. I watched. I learned. I cried. I laughed. I hoped. I dreamed.

In the end - today - there is so much love.

Sure we fight. Sure we laugh. Sure we have plans.

Today?? Was perfect. Absolutely perfect.

We entertained together, and worked as a team. The spirit in the home was positive good. The bad elements of the past and "drama filled" energy was not here.

We traveled somewhere for him to see something he desires.

We went to dinner.

Then we traveled to the cinema and picked a movie I have been wanting to see.

We ended with coffee - together.

Yesterday we saw the movie Sex & The City 2. The critics were waaaay wrong. It was excellent. I truly related to the relationship woes Carrie and Big were exhibiting. Married - no kids - never will .. and learning to lean only on one another. We both talked about it later, and yes - we will have to make our own rules on what our "family" will look like.

Tonight we saw Tyler Perry's "Why Did I Get Married, Too?" Again, we left saying - yes.. I do.. I do.. I do.

Why did I get married? Because I found the man I want to grow old with. I searched 33 years for this man. And I am pleased to say - he is mine, and we are in it for the long haul.

Some days it is touch and go - but in the end..

I am going to use the great words of Dr. Seus. Yes, I realize this is given to graduates.. but my egyptian and I - we have graduated one full year of "official" living together marriage. Yes, we married the Islamic way back in Egypt a few years  before, though we did not live together. We have graduated - and are rebuilding a foundation.

Here are the words for my great egyptian (Oh the places we will go!)

Oh The Places You Will Go
By: Dr. Seus

Congratulations!


Today is your day.

You're off to Great Places!

You're off and away!



You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself

any direction you choose.

You're on your own. And you know what you know.

And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.



You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.

About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."

With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,

you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.



And you may not find any

you'll want to go down.

In that case, of course,

you'll head straight out of town.



It's opener there

in the wide open air.



Out there things can happen

and frequently do

to people as brainy

and footsy as you.



And then things start to happen,

don't worry. Don't stew.

Just go right along.

You'll start happening too.



OH!

THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!



You'll be on y our way up!

You'll be seeing great sights!

You'll join the high fliers

who soar to high heights.



You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.

You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.

Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best.

Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.



Except when you don't.

Because, sometimes, you won't.



I'm sorry to say so

but, sadly, it's true

that Bang-ups

and Hang-ups

can happen to you.



You can get all hung up

in a prickle-ly perch.

And your gang will fly on.

You'll be left in a Lurch.



You'll come down from the Lurch

with an unpleasant bump.

And the chances are, then,

that you'll be in a Slump.



And when you're in a Slump,

you're not in for much fun.

Un-slumping yourself

is not easily done.



You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.

Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.

A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!

Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?

How much can you lose? How much can you win?



And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...

or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?

Or go around back and sneak in from behind?

Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,

for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.



You can get so confused

that you'll start in to race

down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace

and grind on for miles cross weirdish wild space,

headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place...



...for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go

or a bus to come, or a plane to go

or the mail to come, or the rain to go

or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow

or the waiting around for a Yes or No

or waiting for their hair to grow.

Everyone is just waiting.



Waiting for the fish to bite

or waiting for the wind to fly a kite

or waiting around for Friday night

or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake

or a pot to boil, or a Better Break

or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants

or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.

Everyone is just waiting.



NO!

That's not for you!



Somehow you'll escape

all that waiting and staying

You'll find the bright places

where Boom Bands are playing.



With banner flip-flapping,

once more you'll ride high!

Ready for anything under the sky.

Ready because you're that kind of a guy!



Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!

There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.

And the magical things you can do with that ball

will make you the winning-est winner of all.

Fame! You'll be as famous as famous can be,

with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.



Except when they don't

Because, sometimes they won't.



I'm afraid that some times

you'll play lonely games too.

Games you can't win

'cause you'll play against you.



All Alone!

Whether you like it or not,

Alone will be something

you'll be quite a lot.



And when you're alone, there's a very good chance

you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.

There are some, down the road between hither and yon,

that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.



But on you will go

though the weather be foul.

On you will go

though your enemies prowl.

On you will go

though the Hakken-Kraks howl.

Onward up many

a frightening creek,

though your arms may get sore

and your sneakers may leak.



On and on you will hike,

And I know you'll hike far

and face up to your problems

whatever they are.



You'll get mixed up, of course,

as you already know.

You'll get mixed up

with many strange birds as you go.

So be sure when you step.

Step with care and great tact

and remember that Life's

a Great Balancing Act.

Just never foget to be dexterous and deft.

And never mix up your right foot with your left.



And will you succeed?

Yes! You will, indeed!

(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)



KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!



So...

be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray

or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,

You're off the Great Places!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So...get on your way!