Yesterday, my husband and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary. Lucky Number Seven. Or, according to all sorts of people, the year where all the itching starts.

Or was it scratching? Maybe it was the year when all the wishing starts. In any case, there is no itching going on around here.

Seven years ago, yesterday, I woke up with a bad case of morning sickness and choked down some saltines before putting on the red dress I would wear to be married.

Seven years ago, yesterday, we stood in the hallway of the courthouse, filling out paperwork for our marriage certificate. We brought a credit card to pay the $50 fee, and found out that it was cash only. Between the two of us, we had $49, and had to bum a dollar off of my future father-in-law to get hitched. Heh.

Seven years ago, yesterday, I stood with a trembling jaw and swimming vision while the courthouse clerk married us in front of our families. I was blindsided by the sudden, intense realization that I was, like, getting married, to the man I loved (and continue to love with all my heart.) All the photos of our brief ceremony have me standing there with a forced smile, the result of me trying to not burst into noisy, bosom-heaving sobs. I was not prepared for all the emotions, not at all.

Seven years ago, yesterday, my mother-in-law pulled me aside after the ceremony and told me that we'd need to move to a bigger place so I could have my own room, because men start to get stinky and you don't want to sleep with them anymore. She meant well.

Seven years ago, yesterday, I had the momentary impulse to jump into the car with my departing family members, after we ate a nice lunch, took photos and said our goodbyes. I felt a little like an outcast seeing them drive away.

Seven years ago, last night, I lay in my new husband's arms and marveled at the fact that we were our own little family. As we drifted off to sleep, I felt our baby move for the first time, tiny butterfly wings adding to the contentment of our special day.

Seven years ago, today, I spent my first day as a married woman at a San Francisco Giants game, where I discovered that hot dogs were a cure-all for morning sickness.

In the seven years that have passed, we've had our share of great fights, and even better make-ups. We've shared in the creating and growing and birthin' and raising of three amazing children, and through it all, we've learned about each other, and about ourselves. Or maybe that's just me.

As to the rumored seven-year-itching, after seven years together, I've got a few chapped places. You know, from a certain someone's TiVo abuse and inability to make a meal that doesn't come from a drive-thru in a paper bag. I know he's got a few rough patches of his own, due to my domestic disabilities and my wild mood swings. But basically, nothing that a bit of lotion won't cure.

That sounds naughty. But then again, that's the kind of lotion I'm talking about.

After we dropped the kids off at my mom's house, so we could enjoy a dinner out, we talked about the early days of our relationship. We've had some big ch-ch-ch-changes, most of which have made me love him more. He still manages to make me happy all the way to the tips of my toes.

Back in the early days, we used to use our child-free time to run home for a little fooling around. As we drove to the restaurant, we joked about it.

"Hey, you wanna head back to the house for a little mmm-mmm?" I waggled my eyebrows mockingly.

He laughed and said, "You know, just talking about it is pretty much good enough these days."

I laughed and laughed over that. It's funny because it's true.

Ever since our first date, when we played pool and I had a clear vision of what he will look like as an old man, I knew he was the man I would spend the rest of my life with. Someday, I hope to look back at these first seven years and see them as a tiny segment of our life together, full of chaos, discovery, learning to parent and trying to grow up without growing old. There is no one else I would rather share this journey with. He completes me.

Happy Anniversary, Hubs - I love you.