It's been 5 days. The families--now enlarged--have gone back to their respective parts of the continent. The gift wrapping has been thrown out with the collapsed boxes (oh, but it's so pretty...). Our freezer is full of orchids and black beauty roses and freesia salvaged from the wilting bouquets. Traces of my first manicure EVER are quickly chipping away.

And I have a gold ring on my finger.

A sign of perfect permanence. You and I are one, my love. That's what this simple band says.

I am and will ever be deeply committed to you and to the creativity and ever-unfolding beauty of our relationship, all of its quirps and idiosyncrasies, all of its joys and challenges, all of its goofiness and intimacy, all of its tears and its laughter.

I look forward to living out this lifetime with you, beloved, and (given the option) through all eternity...

September 20th, 2003
Nancy Elisabeth Chenier