The Pride of Lions

She calls me her "Lion"...

And she is my "Lioness" of course! Why is that? Because we are both products of divine, loyal and regal Leo design. Together in our quest since September 2004 and married just this past New Years Day, the transitional runway toward "coupledom" has had its fair share of bumps, adjustments and filled-over potholes! Adding to the overall excitement of this fledgling marriage was the ominous and lurking fact that in a mere 2 months after saying "I do" that I would soon be saying "Oorah" as the lead medical liaison fora group of Marines here in Djibouti, Horn of Africa.

Mind you, this is supposed to be our "honeymoon"...

Allow me to furnish some details here and not leave you completely in the "dark" - Our wedding was one that dreams are made of - a yacht on New Years day going through Newport Harbor - friends and family in attendance, they watched us both take that "plunge" into married existence with open eyes, minds and hearts! The wet day turned into a wet night as well and we ended up partying at the "House of Soleimani" with many of the wedding party and guests still in attendance well into the wee-hours of the morning before retiring to our private little "den" at the Marriott Hotel - 15th floor - just she and I...

Our "honeymoon" was brief albeit, but a very nice one. Several days of rest and relaxation in Santa Barbara right on the beach - a beautiful view of the ocean and just relaxing the entire time - taking in the many sights, sounds, smells and flavors of the moments that followed over those 4 days. On the final day we drove to Solvang and indulged in one of our more favorite pastimes: wine sampling. Two bottles purchased, we headed home and back to me getting ready to leave and report to Camp Pendleton.

We are fast approaching our second month anniversary and the days are beginning to pick-up speed in their coming and going and I am not complaining in the least.

So, how did a dyed-in-the-wool military guy like me get to know an Assyrian/Armenian gal from Encino? Sheer luck if you must know! Some would call it fate. Others would call it Karma. I prefer luck. Why? Because being with her makes me thankful to have been so lucky to add her to my life!

I will try to keep this brief because I could go on and on and on about our courtship and how I feel about her. Really, there is no need to expound the many highs and details of our courtship - to do so would make me sound arrogant, boastful and almostloathsomee! Yes, even a Lions pride must be grounded from time to time and allowed to settle within the realm of "normalcy." The sun will rise and a sunset will follow accordingly. All you really need to know is exactly what she has known all along - I love her and I am a far better Lion for having found this Lioness roaming the savannahs of this jungle-like mystery we call "life"!

From halfway around the world - another day, on another continent and in another timezone - with all my heart and love; please, allow me this momentary loss of military bearing and a slip into the other side of giddiness just to say...

Happy Anniversary, babe!











Cheers!

Originally published 30 March 2006 on the blog "Totum dependeat (Let it all hang out!)"