I Love You Like a Love Song, Baby

[dropcap2 variation=”teal”]T[/dropcap2]his is a love story told in five songs. The title of this post, a catchy ditty sung by Selena Gomez, is not one of them. I have known my Darling Husband (DH) since I was 13 and he was 14. Please, do not be alarmed. We have not been together that entire time. Instead, we Harry and Sally-ed it until our 30s, when we realized that when you find the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, you want the rest of your life to start right now. So, we did. Of course, us being us, we had to start on Valentine’s Day. It wasn’t planned, I swear.

Until it became the anniversary of our relationship, I actually loathed this day of drippy candy hearts and generic red flowers. My worst V-Day — and I had a variety to choose from — was when I was stood up for a blind date on the Queen Mary. Bright side, there was an Indiana Jones convention happening on another floor. Attractive men dressed as Herr Jones, whip and all, mingled with women in 1940s-era dresses. Surreal, but true.

Your doctor will consider your particular viagra online from canada situation to determine which medication might work best. Hyperactivity http://niksautosalon.com/?p=1 buy cialis canada can be a illness seen as an damaged brain function. It is quite worrisome how our lifestyle has changed the life of numerous people who were experiencing the issues like erectile dysfunction are really hard to get over and are totally order cheap viagra crazy about each other. Deca is a common steroid used in multiple stacks, by bodybuilders of all ages and brand viagra canada genders, but its medicinal properties are particularly beneficial for men. Anywhoo, over the 20-or-so years I’ve known my DH, certain songs have become associated with him, with us. One of my most cherished memories is of slow dancing — me at 16, him at 17 — in the living room of his home. He was the first person I knew to have a CD player with a multiple CD changer. Among the cuts by Sting and Tracey Chapman was this tune: “Something So Right” by Paul Simon. I remember the feel of his arms, the warmth of the room, the beauty of the fall sunlight streaming through the window. It was the day after our first, perfect, leaving-you-lighter-than-air kiss. “Something goes wrong, I’m the first to admit it. First to admit it, last one to know. Something goes right, it’s likely to lose me, apt to confuse me ’cause it’s such an unusual sight. I swear I can’t, can’t get used to something so right….” It would be more than 15 years until, as friends, we would dance to this in the living room of my one-bedroom apartment. It would be the start of me and him having an idea of becoming us.

Before that happened, though, there were the years when friendship was all we had. Back then, I would hear Gretchen Peter’s “Bus to St. Cloud” (usually sung by Trisha Yearwood) and think of all the things that could have been. The first time I heard this song was post-college. Gretchen Peter was at the Key West Songwriting Festival and I interviewed her for the Key West Citizen. I had sent my DH a letter laying my heart on the line. He kindly called and, well, broke it. Not on purpose. He did it gently and honorably, but it hurt. He was in a committed relationship to someone else. We parted the conversation as friends, and I put my love and hopes for a life with him in a box and locked it away. “And it’s strange, but it’s true, you just slipped out of view like a face in the crowd on a bus to St. Cloud….” I did such a good job of throwing away the key that when my DH did finally make a romantic move, it didn’t occur to me that he was trying to reach beyond what we had been for years.

Which is how we arrive at The Commodore’s “Brick House.” I know that it doesn’t seem like the most romantic of songs, but for me it conjures up a Valentine’s Day in 2004, when I joined my DH for his college reunion dinner/dance. I had been at an Orange County Romance Writers of America meeting and knew he was in town. Forgetting it was V-Day (I know, you’d think with the RWA meeting, I would remember, but it was about writing craft, not love stories), I called him and left a message asking if he would like to go to dinner. He answered right as I was going home. The rubber chicken reunion dinner set me back about $75. Best money I ever spent. “Brick House” was among the songs the DJ played on the dance floor that night. Something about flirting with him during that song… well one thing led to another. “She’s mighty, mighty, letting it all hang out….” What I can say, gentle reader. That song still makes me happy and makes me blush.

You would think having known someone for almost two decades (now, more than) would mean there would be few surprises. How could I have missed that my DH is as big a fan of the Muppets as I am! “Moving Right Along” was the second song played at the reception to our Muppet-themed wedding. “We’re movin’ right along. Footloose and fancy free. Getting there is half the fun, come share it with me. Movin’ right along. We’ll learn to share the load. We don’t need a map to keep this show on the road….” He’s Kermie. I’m more Fozzie (Wocka, Wocka.) Please do not insert the Miss Piggy jokes. I have my hi-ya on stand by. This is a song about two friends who decide to go on an adventure together. What’s love (and now parenthood) other than a grand adventure!

The song we danced our first dance to at our wedding was Johnny Hartman’s rendition of “I’m Glad There is You.” When my DH and I crossed that line from being friends to being lovers, from being single to being partners, it felt like coming home. Every day, I try to tell him how very lucky I feel that we’re together. “I’m so glad you married me,” I tell him. He says the same to me. This year marks our 8th “together” anniversary and our sixth (in May) wedding anniversary. Next week, our greatest collaboration, the Z-baby, will turn 3. I love him more with every passing year. “In this world where many, many play at love, and hardly any stay in love, I’m glad there is you. More than ever, I’m glad there is you….”

Happy Valentine’s Day, Honey.