Nona tagged me for a marriage meme in honor of Valentine’s Day.  I am so not the romantic type, and I have forgotten many of the important moments, but I’ll play along anyway.

1. Where / how did you meet?
We lived in the same dorm in college; when we first met, I was a sophomore and he was a junior.

2. How long have you known each other?
We met in the fall of 1986, so almost 22 years. Oh. My. God. *hyperventilates* I can’t be that old.

3. How long after you met did you start dating?
We had known each other about a year before his girlfriend went off to study abroad in France and we started seeing each other secretly. Then she came back, we broke up for about a year, then she dumped him, we got back together in the spring of 1989 and were a couple consistently after that.

4. How long did you date before you were engaged?
We were engaged in the spring of 1994, so five years.  But on our first date, we went to Chili’s for dinner, and I knew that evening that we were going to get married.  Because he was so adorable and made faces at a baby seated nearby.

5. How long was your engagement?
A little more than a year.

6. How long have you been married?
Almost thirteen years. *hyperventilates a little more*

7. What is your anniversary?
June 24, which his Venezuelan relatives will tell you is memorable as the date of the Battle of Carabobo. (Say it with me: “Carabobo.” Isn’t that fun?)  I’m pretty sure it’s not a good omen to be married on the date of a famous battle but things seem to be working out so far.

8. How many people came to your wedding reception?
About 100. We were married near Chicago and our guests came from all over the country, as well as Venezuela.

9. What kind of cake did you serve?
Chocolate cake with raspberry filling and a white buttercream frosting.

10. Where was your wedding?
We were married at the campus Catholic center (my husband had just finished his MBA) and had our reception at a local hotel.

11. What did you serve for the meal?
I have absolutely no idea. There may have been chicken.  That was one of the decisions I’m sure we agonized over, and yet, years later, have no memory of whatsoever.

12. How many people were in your bridal party?
Just a maid of honor and a best man.

13. Are you still friends with them all?
My maid of honor is still one of my very best friends, but the best man seems to have vanished off the face of the earth.  We miss him.

14. Did your spouse cry during the ceremony?
No, he didn’t.  But I more than made up for it by bursting into tears as soon as I started to walk down the aisle.

15. Most special moment of your wedding day?
When my husband recited his vows from memory, to my complete surprise. (I started crying again.  Crying is one of my special talents.)

16. Any funny moments?
I can’t think of any.  I vaguely recall the best man saying something funny in his toast, but I couldn’t say what it was.

17. Any big disasters?
Other than the marriage itself?   Ha! Just kidding.  No, there were no disasters.

18. Where did you go on your honeymoon?
We went to Rome for a few days, and then to Spain to celebrate the marriage with his relatives.

19. How long were you gone?
About two weeks.

20. If you were to do your wedding over, what would you change?
I don’t think I would change anything; it was perfect the way it was.

21. What side of the bed do you sleep on?
The north side.

22. What size is your bed?
King.

23. Greatest strength as a couple?
Keeping our sense of humor.  And the fact that we are best friends.

24. Greatest challenge as a couple?
Balancing kids and coupledom and work and other family commitments.

25. Who literally pays the bills?
He does.  I used to do it but I took a maternity leave almost nine years ago and never started up again.

26. What is your song?
We don’t really have one, although we love to sing Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” to each other at the top of our lungs in the car.

27. What did you dance your first dance to?
I think it was Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes.”

28. Describe your wedding dress.
Um, white.  Shiny. Long.

29. What kind of flowers did you have at your wedding?
Pretty pink and white and purple ones.  I’m not very conversant in the floral idiom.

30. Are your wedding bands engraved?
Yes, mine has his first name and our wedding date inside, and his has my name and the date.

And now, for our next meme!  Wyrdbyrd tagged me for this book meme:

Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more. (No cheating!)

The Liar’s Diary by Patry Francis. It’s sitting on the futon right next to me.  (Thanks to Lisa’s recommendation.)

Find Page 123.

Find the first 5 sentences.
A conversation between two of the main characters regarding an affair one of them was having.

Post the next 3 sentences.
“But once again, Ali’s face was streaked with tears. ‘You were right the first time,’ she said, sparing herself nothing. “I slept with Brian on a whim — or maybe worse, to prove something to myself.’”

Hhhmm, I think that passage taken out of context makes the book sound less sophisticated than it actually is. Interesting.

And finally, Ramamama and JustMakingItUp both nominated me for this award, so it must be true:

e award

Okay, tagging:

On the marriage meme, I’d like to hear from Charlotte, (un)relaxeddad, Caroline and Wyrdbyrd.

On the book meme, I’d love to hear what books are sitting around near Lisa, Dark Orpheus, and Sarah.

And as for excellence — well, there are so many of you whose blogs are truly excellent, I find it hard to narrow it down.  But let’s go with Gartenfische because she makes me think about the spiritual in a new way, Donutszenmom for her lovely yoga/zen insight and amusing Cop stories, and Lilalia for beautifully blending art and words.