Tammerie: Someone once decreed the gift for a first wedding anniversary should be … paper. Perhaps the someone was a bit of a cynic. “Let’s not get carried away. This thing may not last.”

Well. For a hopeful romantic, there’s a lot to get carried away about. What to give your beloved, that’s made of paper and means forever? How about printing and framing your wedding pictures? In this case, procrastination made for a serious win.

Of course, there’s more. For gay people still pinching themselves over being able to get married, a piece of paper is a big deal. One of my beloved Mary’s favorite pictures is the snapshot we took in front of the Philly courthouse, holding our freshly minted marriage license.

On the day we married, we were among thousands of couples who were married in one state and in limbo as soon as we crossed the state line. That changed for all of us when the Supreme Court recognized the promises we made.

Just pieces of paper … just an ordinary life … just love. Happy anniversary, darlin’. “One.”

Mary:  It still doesn’t seem real sometimes.   I still pause, hesitate a bit when I tell others we are married…or “this is my spouse”.  Married.  For the rest of my life, I am married to someone whose eyes can make me cry, whose voice on the line gets me through long lonely nights without her.  Some people take this marriage thing for granted.  Not me.  Never.  A year has gone by…..everyday ordinary living…..and my ring is little more worn smooth.  We grow older, we grow wiser, we grow together, our lives entangled like the pretty vines Tammerie has planted  outside on the deck.  I am the luckiest woman in the universe.   I love you, Cootie.