celebrating my men..

I remember the first time I met my husband... because I met him "for the first time" THREE times. It went down something like this:

The first time I laid eyes on him I was in an elevator. I had just met a friend for lunch (HI K!) and we were waiting for the slowest elevator in history to begin it's descent. Right as the doors were about to close, two people jumped in... one of them was my future husband (the other was another blonde actress who shares my first name, ironically.) K said "Hey, Lady Gray, these are two of my cast members... Meet E and M." I said hello, and was glad to be meeting them, but really had my mind on the food court awaiting us two floors down. Fast forward a year or so...

K and I are driving in a car, discussing the theatrical event we were about to begin. K was producing, and so was helping the director cast the show. She said to me "We are thinking of casting E... you met him last year. I think you would like him." Two weeks later we had our first rehearsal for said show, and there he was. First thought: woah... he's cute. Second thought: And talented... and intelligent. Third: I wonder if he has any hair? (He persisted in wearing this beanie thing...even though it was only September.) That night I said to K "Sooo... about this E guy? He's cute." I had, however, JUST gotten out of a 3 year relationship, and the worst breakup of my life to that point (and since.) SO I wasn't exactly looking to start dating... but this didn't stop K from passing on the info that I was interested so a couple of nights later...

K and I went to go see E in the show he was currently performing. Afterwards, K "re-introduced" us at the stage door. By which I mean, she introduced us again having told him already that I was interested... but not available. At the time I was horrified. However, it was at this spot - where we met for the THIRD time - that E proposed to me 4 years later.

Now we have our beautiful wee one... and when I think back over the road we took to get here (which was long... sometimes felt full of angst, and I occasionally doubted whether we would be together at all) I am in awe of what we have become.

Elliot is going through a serious "Daddy" Phase right now. I guess I should mind more, but really I'm just excited. Having been the one home with Elliot while E has maintained a crazy schedule the past few months, I am excited to see them finally having their time together. Elliot follows Daddy around the house, checks on Daddy in the kitchen or the shower, and stands up and bangs on the office door when E is working. It's adorable.

The other day the three of us were spending time together in the living room, a rare occurrence these days. A song came on the radio that I will forever associate with E and when we first met. It was the song I programmed as E's ring tone in my phone the very first time I put his number IN my phone. When that ring would sound I would be flooded with excitement and NERVES, equal parts elation and fear. The other day as he and I sat on the couch, The Bug was cruising back and forth between us. This song came on, and Elliot stopped walking and started dancing. I experienced one of those rare moments of complete bliss... and with this man as my partner and this little guy in our life, I know there are many more moments of joy and peace on the way.

Happy First Father's Day, my love.