Someday an Anniversary... the movie.

So. Tired.

It's one of the perils of the life I have chosen to be forever tired it seems. My shifts are forever random, beginning at 7am rarely, 11am or 3pm only slightly more often, and 7pm more often than not. They can fall on any day of the week, including weekends, and sometimes involve "taking call" which is cooler to say than "after your twelve hour shift, why don't you hang around the hospital for another four hours at considerably less than minimum wage just in case we need another body". We do get to rest during those four hours if we so choose though, so I guess I can't complain!

I had a tough time getting motivated to do all of the "busy work" required in my position last night. After all, it was anniversary number six, and it had gone the way of the majority of our other anniversaries. So here's a list of "What I Did on April 23rd" for the past seven years, along with a grade for the day. Let's see how they add up...

April 23rd, 2003
A beautiful spring day! Warm, fresh air, and many loved ones. The Wife and I are joined legally and spiritually as Husband and Wife. What a great day! A+

April 23rd, 2004
A nice spring day. Sort of rainy. The Wife, now eight months pregnant, and I close on our house and chose today as moving day!! Had a moving truck and crew to move stuff, and while they were awesome, they essentially just brought stuff in from the truck and set it down, so we spent the day unpacking and starting to get settled in. Good day, much moving of stuff. Wife very pregnant and understandably tired. We would spend much of the next day in the nearest major metropolitan city, celebrating the life of Nana, my grandmother who passed away in 2001. It was a yearly tradition at the end of her life, and we just kept it going after she was gone. Turned in early for the night due to fatigue and prep for travel the next day. But not too bad a day. Solid B day, but maybe we can have a good old fashioned two person anniversary next year.

April 23rd, 2005
One year in the house and our second anniversary. Finally falling on a Saturday, the clan decides this will be the big day for the Nana weekend. It's up early with the almost one year old Boyo and off to the big mall again for a day with the whole famn damily. A pretty good time is had by all, but the Wife and I are hoping for an anniversary off next year. A for family fun time, D for romantic alone time with my bride. Overall day, C+.

April 23rd, 2006
Sunday! Yesterday was Nana weekend. Today brings church, tiredness, and unexpected allergy attack for me. Romantic alone time with a near two year old is about as realistic as the Pope marrying a nice Jewish girl. So early bedtime required. Next year will be a Monday though. We promise each other that with no Nana weekend, we'll take off work, find a sitter for the Boyo and have a proper anniversary! What could possibly go wrong! C-

April 23rd, 2007
Diagnosed with uterine cancer the week before, my aunt Bobbi goes under the knife at Mayo today to see just how bad the damage is. Family has rallied at our house, and it has become more a hostel than a home. We have the added pressure of hosting a flock of relatives on top of the worry and dread that comes with the nightmare of a loved one with terminal cancer. After the surgery, the surgeon - one of the very best in the business- tells the assembled clan that he has done what he can, but further treatment or surgery, no matter how aggressive, will not save her. Bobbi leaves Mayo on May 8th and relocates to my folks home in Iowa. The flock of family mostly travels with her then. She dies two days later on her birthday. She was 56. F-

April 23rd, 2008
The Wife is pregnant again. This time due any day. (any minute seems more accurate) Sweet Pea will join the world in two days. My sister is getting married in four days, and today is the rehearsal for that totally wonderful musical extravaganza! Figuring anything would be better than last years anniversary, we agree to send me down to the rehearsal after a quick breakfast together. Wondering if we will ever have an anniversary that is just the two of us, I head off to the rehearsal as we decide to skip the day again. C

April 23rd, 2009
Having worked an 11am to 11pm shift the day before, with call until 3am, I spent the day sleeping in the sleep room of the hospital, preparing for a night shift this night. Didn't see the kiddos, but did get to talk with the wife for ten minutes or so. Instead of cuddling with her tonight and kissing my kiddos goodnight, I'll spend it helping the sick and injured get better, and cleaning up almost every bodily waste product possible from floors, beds, walls and in one amazingly unlikely shot - the overhead spotlight used for suturing. The Wife and I are planning an actual date night sometime in May, schedules and the gods of weather, illness and children permitting. Maybe we'll have some luck on anniversary number seven next year. D


So, we had a great start with that A+! Then our report card looks a lot like an underachiever at a small school. B, C+, C-, F-, C and D. GPA so far looks like about a 2.0? Solidly average I guess. But man alive I'd like to get a few more exceptional anniversaries under our belts and raise that average! Guess time will tell. I'm hoping we have a great many years together to try!

More Later