Counting Down to Forever

In 1998 on borrowed internet, little did I know that I'd met the love of my life. I lived in Brownwood, TX with a friend out at the lake. I was using ICQ at the time, and I did a search for guys who lived in Europe, and I ran across an individual who lives in Paris, France. How intriguing, I thought. PARIS. Ooo la la. The Eifel Tower, a French accent... berets, paint brushes, oui oui, non? So we talked. I found out he was a red beret in the military, and he sent me this gorgeous photo of him in his hat, with these spectacular eyes - and I fell in... obsession. Not love. Nope, I was only 18 at the time, what did I know about love. But I was talking to someone on the other side of the world, every day, and I liked it!

Well, in 2000 I joined the military, and I lost touch with him. My borrowed internet went away... and by the time I did get another computer, I'd forgotten all about my French crush. My life twisted and turned, and by 2002 I'd become a single mother. Shortly after that, while sitting in my apartment, I turned on my laptop and thought of old chat buddies that I could send a message to. I took a stab at Frenchy's screen name, and I guessed right! He wrote back, and even more... he'd remembered me!

We continued to talk... My obsession returned, as I envisioned a bachelor in Paris who was intent on staying single due to bad luck in love. I was out to win his heart! In October 2005, Nicolas flew to meet me in person for the first time. I remember all too well that first sight. He came through the airline gates wearing these horrible red shoes (they smelled worse than they looked) and European button-fly jeans :P And for the love of God, I thought the guy didn't like me. He kissed me on the cheek instead of greeting me with a Texas sized bear hug. (How was I supposed to know that kissing cheeks was the French greeting???) By the end of his two week visit, we were inseparable. When I took him back to the airport, I returned to an empty apartment... there were lines on the carpet where his suitcase sat, and I traced them with my finger and just ached for his presence. I'm assuming the void stretched across the Atlantic, because within a month, he was back. 2 more weeks for Christmas. . . We'd exchanged 100 I love you's via text messages and email.

During my deployment to Diego Garcia from January-May 2006, I found out I'd be moving to Germany. What a WONDERFUL blessing as it would put me closer to him. When I landed on European soil in August 2006 - he was there. He commuted every weekend through November until he quit his job to be with me permanently. Then on December 29, 2006 we were married. In a small ceremony at the Rathaus in Speicher, Germany - his mother and sisters were with us, as well as the German/English translator. (and Stevie!)

This past 3 years has been... indescribable. We've had some extreme highs, and some crappy lows. We've fought over taco sauce, shared a new baby, played Santa Claus, stood in for the tooth Fairy... cleaned up puke, changed diapers... More importantly, we've remained each others' best friend, lover, confidant... We can live separately, together. He makes me whole. There is no thing GREATER than being married to my Nico.

So with this my love, Happy Anniversary. Thank you for an extraordinary three years. I look forward to kissing you at midnight on New Years on the same streetcorner in Baarn that I've kissed you the last 3 years... I look forward to more magical number 3s *wink wink!* May this be the third of so many more anniversaries, as we continue counting down to forever. I love you.