HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO..... ME!!!

[arwalden]

Allen and Mike
(MR & MR ARWALDEN)

TEN FABULOUS YEARS!!

:party::party::party::party::party::party::party::party::party::party:



:bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce::bounce:

[Rick Myers]

1. Happy Anniversary!!!!

And HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

:toast:

[arwalden]

6. Thank You, Rick...

New Years Day is definitely one anniversary date that has a difficult time sneaking-up and slipping by unnoticed. :-)

[quispquake]

2. Congrats!!!

That's a serious milestone (my record is three years!)

[arwalden]

7. Thanks Perkypat...

... but... this wasn't my first time at the rodeo either. I've got a few previous failed attempts and learned lessons that made THIS one possible. Don't give up.

[Bronco69]

3. Happy Anniversary!

Here's to many many more! :toast:

[arwalden]

8. Thanks Bronco!

:-)

[emad]

4. Wishing you many more!

xx

[arwalden]

17. Thanks, Emad!

:hi:

[Phentex]

5. Wonderful!

Happy Anniversary!:party:

[arwalden]

21. Thanks, Phentex... It Has Been Wonderful!

:hi:

[matcom]

9. YYYYYAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY

*i coulda been a contender* :D

:loveya: Allen & Mike!!!

[arwalden]

22. TTTHHHAAANNNKKKSSS MMMAAATTTCCCOOOMMM!!!

YYYooouuu ssstttiiilll aaarrreee aaa cccooonnnttteeennndddeeerrr!!!

------AAAlllllleeennn

[Lady Effingbroke]

10. Wooohooo!!!! Ten years!!!!

Here's to many more!!!

:toast: :party: :toast: :party: :toast: :party: :toast: :party: :toast: :party: :toast: :party: :toast: :party: :toast: :party: :toast: :party: :toast: :party:

[arwalden]

26. Thank You, Lady Effingbroke...

:hi:

[supernova]

11. Congratualtions Allen and Mike

:party: :party: :bounce: :party:

You made it to one more than me. :D Here's to many more anniversaries. :toast:

[arwalden]

30. Thank You, Supernova!

:hi:

[put out]

12. "Fabulous"...that's fabulous!

Good for you and the other Mr. Many, many happy years ahead for you both, I wish for you.

Not that wishing makes it so, but you are already doing the right things. Have a very happy year. Peace to you and yours.

Kim

[arwalden]

31. Thanks! It's A Learning Process...

... that also requires compromise and patience.

-- Allen

[Midlodemocrat]

13. And may you have many more!!

Congratulations!!!

[arwalden]

32. Thanks Very Much!!

:hi:

[newyawker99]

14. WooooHooooo!!!

Happy anniversary!!


:toast: :party:

[arwalden]

37. Thank You!!

Tonight we'll be heading to one of our favorite restaurants to shamelessly consume two-day's worth of calories and carbs.

But, we can always work it off later on!!

[trof]

15. Get out! New Year's Day?

That's cheatin'.
Like getting married on your birthday (as a friend did) so you'll never slip up and forget it.
Happy 10th, Allen.

[arwalden]

38. I Know... But I've Forgotten His Birthday (And He Mine)

at least once or twise in the past ten years... but at least there's ONE day that we don't forget. Thanks for your well-wishes!

-- Allen

[Kathy in Cambridge]

16. Happy Anniversary!

:toast:

:party:

[Bertha Venation]

18. Allen & Mike, congratulations & happy anniversary.

May you have another 50 years, most of them with a marriage license.

[arwalden]

25. Thanks!! --- We keep hoping....

And wouldn't that be nice??!!

For now, we've got a binder of contracts and agreements and powers of attorney... all in an effort to provide ourselves with the protections that are automatically provided by marriages that are legally recognized. It's imperfect and only an approximation, but it's better than nothing.

Do you and Mrs V. have a stack of contracts and agreements too?

[Bertha Venation]

49. "stack of contracts and agreements" -- yep

Probably not as much as you & Mike have, but we haven't been together as long. We have durable POAs (I think), and Advance Health Care Directives that indicate that each of us is the other's health (and body disposition) "decision-maker" to the exclusion of all other family. Since we're unmarried women those decisions would revert to our legal next of kin, Kathy's parents and my dad.

It's a bloody god-damned shame that we are forced to try to protect our families in this way.

I know I'm preaching to the choir. /soapbox

In today's Washington Post is a column by Colby King, a Washington, DC, resident, who today blasts one Lisa Greene, also a resident of DC. Greene intends to introduce a DC ballot initiative for 2006 intended to ban same-sex marriage in the name of "protecting African-American families." If you've never read King's columns, you're in for a treat: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A40034-2004Dec31.html

[arwalden]

53. Whenever We Travel Far From Home...

our documents go with us. Fortunately we've never had to put-to-the-test the validity of POA's written out of state. I'll bet that Maryland's wording is specific to Maryland, and the POA might not be bulletproof in another state.

In contrast to a Maryland marriage, the same rights and priveleges would be assumed to the couple REGARDLESS of which state they were visiting.

(Yep... it looks like the choir is singing back at the preacher!!)

[Bertha Venation]

59. We take ours everywhere, too.

We know they may not be honored (hell, they may not even be honored here in MD), but we will always have them with us as proof of who we are to each other and will always assert our rights.

Have a lovely anniversary dinner. :bounce:

[Renew Deal]

19. Congratulations to both of you!

I wish you many more fabulous years! :party: :yourock: :headbang:

[arwalden]

20. Thanks... And Congrats On Your Engagement!

:hi:

[Renew Deal]

82. You're welcome and Thank you too!!!

:toast:

[patdem]

23. Ten years with the same man! Congratulations!

I have been 14 with mine, and it is a record for me...You cheated by getting together on New Years day...what a way to remember an anniversary! :bounce: and :party: since you have many reasons!

[arwalden]

52. Indeed It Is!! -- Thanks, Patdem.

Fourteen years is something to be proud of too. Nice work!

-- Allen

[Boy Interrupted]

24. go ahead, rub your happiness in my face

why can't you be alone and bitter like the rest of us? jk.. congrats!

[arwalden]

56. Thanks!

I've had my fair share of bitter years... I guess that's why I appreciate these years so much.

-- Allen

[jonnyblitz]

27. hot damn!! did those ten years go by fast or what?!?

good for you guys!! :hug: :toast: :hi:

[arwalden]

57. Fast Indeed!!! Nearly 25% Of My Life... --- Where Did It All Go?

And will 20-Year anniversary arrive just as quickly?

Thanks, Jonny!

-- Allen

[terrya]

28. Congratulations, Allen! That's wonderful!

I hope you and Mike are doing something special to celebrate! :-)

May you guys have many, many more years of love and happiness together!

T

[arwalden]

34. Yes... We're Headed To RUTH'S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE Tonight!!

My favorite restaurant of all time... so far!

-- Allen

[Cuban_Liberal]

29. Congratulations, Allen and Mike!

10 years is just AWESOME! Woo hoo!

:party::toast::hi:

[arwalden]

54. Thank You... We're Kinda Proud Of It!!

:hi:

[Cuban_Liberal]

63. You have every reason to be proud!

It'll be 3 happy years for us very soon.

:)

[arwalden]

79. Ahhh... Young Love... Ain't it GRAND!! :-D

[hippiechick]

33. AWESOME !! Congratulations !!!

That is SO amazing !! :toast:

I am in awe of any couple that can make it work for that long.

Cheers to you both, Allen !!! :hug:



:hippie:

[arwalden]

55. Thanks Hippiechick!

Sometimes it's work, most of the time it's not... we just got lucky I guess.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

35. 10 Years!! Wow!!!

I love a success story! Keep up the good work!
:toast: :party: :D

[arwalden]

58. Thanks LoneStarDem!!!

I appreciate that!

-- Allen

[Skittles]

36. Congratulations Arwalden and Mr. Arlwalden!!!!

:thumbsup:

[arwalden]

60. Skittles!! Thank you, dear!!

:-)

[Beware the Beast Man]

39. Congrats, Allen (and Mike)!

:party:

[arwalden]

61. Hello You! Thanks BTBM!!

:hi:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

40. Congrats to you and Mike

Misunderestimator and I just had our first set of holidays together. :hug:

[arwalden]

64. Thanks, Teena!!

Did you take photos? We need to take more photos... we took a LOT of photos of EVERYTHING during our first 4-5 years, but now it's not so much. Sigh... I guess we're just getting used to each other now. Like a little old couple.

-- Allen

[CatWoman]

41. My darling, darling Allen

congratulations to you both!!!!! :hi:

[arwalden]

65. Thanks Hon!!

:hi:

[Liberal_Andy]

42. Congrats, arw!

:toast:

[arwalden]

66. Hi Andy! Thanks!

:hi:

[Gemini Cat]

43. CONGRATULATONS! Mr and Mr Arwalden!!!

May you have many many more fabulous years!

[arwalden]

67. Year ELEVEN Starts Tonight! Whoo-hoo!!

Thanks! :hi:

[CO Liberal]

44. Happy Anniversary, Allen & Mike

From me & The Princess.



Last night was the 13th anniversary of our first official date (and the 13th anniversary of our "first time"). So we're celebrating an anniversary, too. :-)

[arwalden]

69. Thanks Wayne!

Congrats to you too!

-- Allen :hi:

[Placebo]

45. Oy, someone's overdosed on the gayness, eh?

Congrats anyway. :hi:

[arwalden]

70. Too gay? Ya big nut!! --- How can ANYTHING be "too" gay? LOL

Thanks for checking in and your warm wishes!

-- Allen

[Misunderestimator]

46. Wow! Congratulations, Allen.

And here's to 30 or 40 or 50 more!! :toast:

[arwalden]

71. Thanks Karen... Wow... Let's Do The Math... In 50 Years I'll Be...

uh... FIFTY years older! Ha! :hi:

-- Allen

[haele]

47. Happy Happy 10th!

You crazy kids!

Tenth is Aluminum or Bronze (traditional - I guess that means kitchen gear) or Diamonds (Modern - corporate suggestions)

Enjoy.

Haele and Laz

On edit - here's a link to a "list" from the Chicago Public Library -
http://www.chipublib.org/008subject/005genref/giswedding.html

Woohoo! Modern anniversary gifts for the 44th anniversary are - Groceries!

[arwalden]

72. Thanks! I Guess That Means Kitchen Wear For The RV...

or something else made from tin or aluminum!


Thanks, Haele and thanks, Laz!

[newsguyatl]

48. wow!

in gay years, that's like your 30th anniversary!

congrats, and many more!

[arwalden]

73. Hey Buddy! You know... I think you're right!!

In more ways than one.

Thanks old friend!

-- Allen

[bigwillq]

50. Congrats Allen (and Mike too!)

What an inspiration to the gay community!

Here's to many more years together!:toast:

[arwalden]

74. Thanks!! That's A Very Nice Thing To Say...

... but there are a few who have made it much longer! Some around here even! --- But if we can inspire others, that's good too.

-- Allen

[bigwillq]

80. I know some folks who have been together 20,30,40 years!

I think it's wonderful!

[Rabrrrrrr]

51. YAY! That's totally cool.

Of course, I knew by the stars that your relationship would last, since your both some kind of sign born on the cusp of some sort of planet with some other sort of astrological mumbo-bullshit happening, so this is no surprise to me....

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

WOO HOO!! Happy anniversary!

[arwalden]

75. Oh Good Grief!! LOL!! --- I Needed No Crystal Ball Or Ouija Board...

... to predict that you were going to check in with yet another classic Rabrrrrr response!! Thanks for the well-wishes and for the chuckle my friend!

-- Allen

[smbolisnch]

62. Congratulations!

And Happy Anniversary!!!!
:toast:

[arwalden]

76. Thank You, Smbolisnch!

:hi:

[no name no slogan]

68. WooHoo!!! Many happy returns!!!

That is FANTASTIC! Here's to many many more!!! Congratulations!!!

[arwalden]

77. Thanks NNNS!!

:hi:

[YellowRubberDuckie]

78. Congrats, bud!!

And here's to many more!!:toast:
Duckie

[arwalden]

81. Thanks Duckie!! (Quack-quack!)

:hi:

[GOPisEvil]

83. Happy Anniversary!!

:toast::party:

[arwalden]

84. Thanks, GOPisEvil!!

I was hoping you'd bring your little golf cart to the party!

-- Allen

[RandomKoolzip]

85. Hey, Happy Chappy Anniversary, Allen!

New Year's Day, huh? I guess that makes the whole "When to get wasted" question a little easier to answer......

Congrats! And may America FUCKING WAKE UP to the fact that gay people are human beings as soon as possible.

[terrya]

86. So, how was the dinner at Ruth Chris's last night???

I'll ask about that...since I think you may NOT want to tell us about the rest of the evening....:-)

But how was your dinner? I hope it was a lovely evening.

T