In honor of Valentine's Day

A List.

Of the 10 most romantic/favorite/amazing moments with my fantastically awesome, makes me want to cry for being so lucky guy (smile).

In no particular numbered order:

* Brasserie Montmarte. That whole weekend really. We went out to Portland to see the band that wasn't. We tried in vain to find something else to do and ended up going out to a steak house for dinner (where a Portland Trailblazer was having dinner at the table next to us with his family--or so I believe as there really are not a lot of like 7 foot plus brothers hanging out in steakhouses like that one with everyone and their mama coming by to shake his hand). At that dinner, we got into some heated debate about what he used to do and how wrong it was (don't get me started on subprime lending). That was the first time we almost said it. At that point it was "Promise to stay this passionate" and "Promise to still like me tomorrow". Which were both easy promises to make. To make nice, we ended the night at this little joint--BM. Deserts and coffee...white paper tablecloths with crayons. We played hangman. I'm a bad scrapper for not taking that tablecloth piece with me. Last word of the night:

_O_E.

I blew it on purpose and kept telling him to tell me what the word was. He wouldn't say it. But I was on cloud nine that whole night. And he was all "You're just too cute." No. I was just so totally smitten. Still am.

* Almost not human. So. Humans have opposable thumbs. On our first date date (as in, something specifically planned to hang out together as opposed to just doing dinner before/after class), I got a call about 20 minutes before I was going to leave to come meet him. Something about a need to stop by an emergency room and get some stitches. He was SOOOO embarrassed and dissapointed that he had almost chopped off his thumb. The doctor was convinced I had taken the knife to him (Liisa...hush YO mouth). We ended up at the brewery and it was so sad watching him try to eat a burger with his thumb hanging half off. So sad. I totally fell for him from that day forward.

* I do. Well, they do. At the wedding I thought I wouldn't be invited to that he was in. That I was all "I really don't need to go" but ended up having the time of my life. Dancing under the stars (no, not up in the tree under the fake stars...I didn't drink THAT much), he leaned in close and said it. And that was an amazing moment to end all amazing moments.

* The Summer of Quantae. This was when he first got to meet my family. Well my mom and my cutie nephew. Of course Quantae fell in total love with him and the feeling was mutual. My mom was certain that I had did good and all was happy and family fun that summer. This was when we first started thinking "well...what if they moved up here...no...I mean in with us?" Loved. That.

* Scrapper 500. Waaaay back in the day when the scrap life was all consuming. I went to a scrapbook convention and won a prize. A cash prize of $500. Which garnered me the nickname of Scrapper 500 AND exposed him to what I was at least at the time very passionate about. Doesn't hurt that that same night we pimped him out and went to one of the most fun parties of my adult life, but that was a good day.

* Attack squirrels. I'm a firm believer that you really don't know no one till you have seen them drunk (check), sick (here we go) and angry (still working on that one). On this lovely trip down 17 mile drive while we're talking about the home we'll some day buy out there and watching the waves crash in, we stop by Pebble Beach. Grab some food from the deli, picnic out at a pull out watching the marine life and the waves. I am still absolutely CONVINCED he got sick from stuff at Pebble Beach. Though technically, it could have been the Mexican food in Hayward the night before (NOT, I had the same food and didn't get sick) or the breakfast in Oakland (again...maybe the cook in the back wanted me down with my people more, but I doubt this as well as again...nothing he ate was much different from my food). We ventured off the matchy matchy path at Pebble Beach and all hell broke loose that night. I thought he was going to DIE. I called 911. I don't know HOW he made it home on the plane the next morning. I was scared to death. But we were able to joke about it after--about how nothing I was about to see in Tibet would be able to phase me after that night.

* EBC - folks have repeatedly said it would be hard to plan a honeymoon to top EBC. We'll have to see about that. As miserable and unromantic as most folks presumed that trip to be, the fact that I got to go to China/Tibet/India/Nepal with him made the scariest part of the trip (safety) a non-issue. So much so that I was able to truly enjoy being in the moment. Loving in the moment. Being part of something so amazing and once in a lifetime. And this was well before the next note.

* I do, Well, I promise to do. It was a great week on the east coast in wine country and overwhelming to be back where I tried it last time. So I was a bit drained getting into SFO really late. But he took it in stride. He tried hard to lift my mood and it really didn't take much because I got to hang out with him all weekend long. Looking back, I LOVE the way he looked at me that whole weekend. Looking back I could tell he was scared to death. Looking back, I wish I would have lingered longer. Looked longer. Remembered every tiny detail. On that beach. Waiting for the fireworks. Back in Oakland. That thing on my finger. Out in the grapes. That weekend was amazing. It really was the epitome of our relationship. Just when I think "This is so damn good and it ain't going to get any better" it just goes to a new level. The weekend he proposed was another level. One I've never been on in all my life.

* My favorite part of the "day". I love going to sleep each and every night. Well, when I'm not on the road for work stressing about the next day's program. But when I am home, I can totally shut down. Just sleep. And each night, I wrap myself up in thoughts of him and I drift off and it is my fave part of the "day" because it is just me and him and I love that he's always right there for me. I know, tacky and sentimental and maybe a bit mental, but it is what it is.

* I love you most. Not possible. Everyday. It's what we say to each other. and what we mean. I love all the little things that get said and done between us. No specific big time moment, but the everyday little things. The big plans for the house and kids and takeover, but the little things like Chocolate and Wine and Supernanny and cheaper cable and not having to win all the time and being dependent, but not codependent. All that.

That's him. That's us. Happy valentines day!