...on spouses, fun and labels

 So, we got married. Why? Sometimes neither of us is sure. After all, we have been a couple for more than a decade. I have never thought of myself as particularly excellent wife material.  What would a wedding do? 

For one thing, it brought us together with dear friends and family for a weekend of fun, and such fun it was!  A random, spoken thought of my daughter's set the tone for a costume/theme party and tent decorating evening with pizza and beer. We had hillbillies, we had pregnant brides, we had Vikings, and we had fancy ladies. The looks of surprise on the faces of our Swedish relatives were beyond priceless.  The looks of dismay on the faces of a few grandsons were hilarious. We laughed and sang and got the tent looking wonderful. The bonfire and s'mores and funny stories went late into the evening. It was all great, and never would have happened without the wedding.  So great, in fact, that we intend to repeat with a family campout next summer. 

The wedding day unfolded almost exactly as I had imagined it.  The weather was glorious, the event was distinctly without ceremony (except for the actual ceremony, which couldn't have been much more traditional), and we gave our five children and their spouses roles that demonstrated their importance in our lives. I have an aversion to off-the-cuff speeches, so there were none.  We wined, dined, danced and visited all day and into the night.  It, too, was great, but not to be repeated any time soon.

Another reason for a wedding?  In this language, appropriate terms for "that person I live with" are insufficient. Boyfriend? Please! I am 65 years old. Partner?  Only occasionally.  Sweetheart? Frequently.  In Sweden, the term is sambo (live together). It is such a massively fine term that many sambos leave it at that, raise their families and live their lives very pleasantly. But here, I wearied of struggling when telemarketers called and asked to speak to my husband. Um, er!  

Now I am a wife. I have a husband.  Not a great deal has changed, but at the same time, it is a nice feeling.  I like the sense of solidity in this new phase of our lives. I like being able to refer to "my husband."  I think it is great. So great, in fact, that I will do my best to have this husband still next year. 

Now, what to do about getting my name changed!