…almost to this exact minute, I was meeting @superADDmom face to face for the first time.

We’d me on IRC the night before and chatted for hours. Then we’d talked for another few hours on the phone.

All of this took place in barely over a day, yet it felt like we’d known each other forever.

I was a ChanOp when she’d popped onto the IRC channel, and announced her A/S/L. I usually ignored people like that as chat rookies, and on top of that she was 6 years younger than I, making me DOUBLY disinterested. But, because she lived nearby, the Channel Manager Michelle, who was also a good friend of mine, convinced me I should talk to her.

A day later – 11 years ago from right now – we were meeting in person. On that night, there was Karaoke at the bar (she snuck that one past me, I wouldn’t have agreed to meet there if I’d know about the Karaoke thing); she sang to me and absolutely blew me away with her incredible voice. We talked for hours that night… saw some shooting stars and swung on playground swings like a couple of kids. Over the coming weeks, we became inseparable.

We’ve moved halfway across the country and back together, had huge bumps in the road, lived apart for a couple of month-long periods of time due to her struggles with co-dependancy, we’ve struggled through her health problems and my health problem, poverty, brought 2 children into the world together including birthing them at home right into my own hands, and in spite of all the tough times we finally even own our home.

Although it hasn’t always been easy and we’ve gone through some serious stuff with those “growing up” issues that I wanted nothing to do with, I’ve never regretted the decision.

I love you, Ril. Happy Anniversary.

Thanks for putting up with MY crap, too.