Love Thursday: Celebrating an Anniversary

Last week, P and I celebrated four years together.

Lots of people on both sides of the Atlantic ask us about marriage and when we’ll make it “official.”

We may get around to doing that (and I’ll be sure to let you know!) but for now, we’re just fine with the way things are, so no announcements are forthcoming–not today at least. Every day is an adventure, though, so who knows what tomorrow will bring?

In any event, I refer to P as my marito (husband) in conversations with others, and he calls me his moglie (wife)–or more often, his mugliere in Badolatese. And as far as everyone is concerned, his parents are already my suocera and suocero; I also have lots of cognati e cognate (brothers- and sisters-in-law).

Also, this is what my left hand looks like each and every day:

Just some rings on Flickr

P gave me the white gold band when we had been together for about a month or so way back in 2005, and the diamond engagement ring is just that–but it was my grandmother’s, given to her by my grandfather in the early 1940s. She gave it to me several years before she passed away, making sure that I would be the one to have it.

No, the two rings don’t remotely match, but that seems rather perfect for P and me, who are, in many ways, polar opposites. We’re alike in some important ways too, and just like P and me, the two rings meet somewhere in the middle–I love how the silverish tones shine together–and somehow just work.

And that works for us, too.

Happy Love Thursday everyone!

P.S. I have already contacted the 5 La Bella Lingua winners:

Paola of Always Italianissima

Kazbell

Peter Leonard

ann-marie

Syrahsuzie

Congratulations!

42 Beans of Wisdom to “Love Thursday: Celebrating an Anniversary”
  1. Gil
    05.21.2009

    All that matters is if the hearts match! From what you write I am sure that they do.

    Happy Anniversary Kids of a two legged variety!!!

    Aw, thanks Gil 🙂

  2. 05.21.2009

    Happy Anniversary!

    Mary’s last blog post..Politicking

    Grazie 🙂

  3. 05.21.2009

    The rings look perfect together… both with such special meaning. Happy Anniversary!! 4 years! Great love Thursday post 🙂

    Congratulations to the winners!

    girasoli’s last blog post..eeeekkk!!!

    Lots of love this LT…glad you enjoyed 🙂

  4. 05.21.2009

    Tanti auguroni per il tuo anniversario!!!

    Sono molto felice per voi. 🙂

    PS: I love the story behind the rings.

    Rosa’s last blog post..Mediterranean Medley With Crumbled Feta Cheese

    Grazie, and YUM on that Mediterranean Medley! 🙂

  5. Happy Anniversary!!!

    Lovely story and picture.

    Thank you 🙂

  6. 05.21.2009

    very sweet michelle… happy anniversary to you and p…

    dana’s last blog post..News Bites — Little Bits Of News From Stresa

    Thanks Dana!

  7. se'lah
    05.21.2009

    Happy 4th anniversary. Wishing you many more!

    Happy love Thursday!

    se’lah’s last blog post..chalk it up…

    Thank you! And thanks for coming by 🙂

  8. 05.21.2009

    Happy Anniversary! I just celebrated my 17th year. You won’t regret it, really.

    Hah, thanks Puna 🙂

  9. 05.21.2009

    And Happy Anniversary to the two of you! May you continue to share lovely, long years together.

    I, too, have mismatched, non-traditional rings – D’s and my wedding rings are a meld of white gold, yellow gold and rose gold. When they’re dull you can see the differences, but after years of wear (19 on June 9th) they’ve melded together. We knew they would, and that’s why we chose them. My engagement ring is an opal with two (well, now only one) diamond chips alongside the opal. We were told that opal rings are bad engagement rings because the opal would crack, but so far so good. Sometimes the rings just know. 😉

    jen of a2eatwrite’s last blog post..What’s Cooking Wednesday: Chive Eggs – the Perfect Spring Lunch

    Opal is my birthstone and I was told it’s bad luck to have them as a Libra…I’ve had a few opal rings, but only my very favorite cracked 🙁 Glad yours is holding strong!

  10. 05.21.2009

    Happy Anniversary Michelle and Paolo
    Happiness is what the two of you make it- not what others say it should be,
    My husband and I will celebrate 16 years in June and we are not ” legally” married!
    Its not the piece of paper that makes it last!
    God Bless………

    Susan’s last blog post..~Backyard Snapshot~

    Early congrats to you, Susan 🙂

  11. 05.21.2009

    Congratulations on four beautiful years!

    Thanks Nova 🙂

  12. 05.21.2009

    I didn’t even notice that they didn’t match! Marriage should be about love and not paper anyway! So here’s to your love on this Love Thursday!

    Christine’s last blog post..{Love Thursday}

    Yay for that, Christine! Thanks for coming by 🙂

  13. 05.21.2009

    Happy Anniversary 🙂

    Thank you 🙂

  14. 05.21.2009

    Happy Anniversary! I love your metaphor: they are beautiful rings, obviously representing a beautiful love that celebrates your differences as well as your strengths as a couple. May you have many, many, MANY more years together!

    Happy Love Thursday!

    Katie in MA’s last blog post..Love can do the funky chicken.

    Thanks Katie 🙂

  15. 05.21.2009

    May 4 years become 400 for you! 🙂

    Aimee’s last blog post..Unwelcome Guest

    Aw, thanks Aimee…I think 😉

  16. 05.21.2009

    Love is never having to match! Happy Love Thursday!!!!

    lucy’s last blog post..

    Love that Lucy!

  17. 05.21.2009

    Michelle I discovered a long time ago….life and love is what YOU make it!!! My husband and I have been married for 11 years now and don’t even live together!! How’s that for a strange arrangement? We can’t wait to be together in Italy in two weeks!

    Deb R’s last blog post..Finding time to enjoy the moment.

    Hey, whatever works, right?! Thanks Deb 🙂

  18. 05.21.2009

    I think the rings are perfect just like you two love birds! 🙂

    Aw shucks Nino 😉

  19. 05.21.2009

    He gave you a ring after only a month? Wow; you guys WERE sure of each other right away! 🙂 I’m happy for you two.

    Stefanie’s last blog post..Do You Believe in Miracles?*

    When you know you know and all that jazz…. 😉

  20. 05.21.2009

    Happy Anniversary !
    I love your rings.

    Thanks so much Vee!

  21. 05.21.2009

    Happy anniversary! What a beautiful ring…

    elra’s last blog post..Six-Braided Egg Bread

    Thanks Elra 🙂

  22. Sara
    05.21.2009

    Aw, congratulations! That’s wonderful!

    My engagment ring and wedding band don’t really match either. As long as they have special meaning to you (and mine do to me as well) that’s all that counts. And Michelle, they do look quite lovely on your finger!

    Happy Weekend!

    Thanks so much Sara; glad you have rings you enjoy as well 🙂

  23. 05.21.2009

    He gave you a ring a month into it?!?!!

    WOW.

    You ARE one incredible lady, glad he got that figured out so quick! Smart boy!

    I love your grandmothers ring, it’s so very pretty.

    Happy four years darling, I hope you have a lifetime of happiness filled with love, every day, not just on Thursdays… ;o)

    XOXOXOXO
    Scarlett & Viaggiatore

    Wanderlust Scarlett’s last blog post..Twilight Reminiscing

    Hah, well I have to agree, P *was* rather smart here….

  24. 05.21.2009

    Happy Anniversary! True love and commitment doesn’t need to be made official.

    Grazie, KC 🙂

  25. 05.21.2009

    Happy Anniversary! True love is precious so holld on to your happiness with “P”!

    Pat’s last blog post..Blooms and Paris Cafes

    Thanks Pat!

  26. Imani
    05.21.2009

    Auguri and many more happy anniversaries! Love rules with or without the piece of paper!

    Thanks Imani; agreed 🙂

  27. Lesley
    05.21.2009

    Happy 4 years together Anniversary!
    We have just hit 20 years together – seems just like yesterday though…..

    (I’ve just hit the four without the shift key by mistake and it came up with the dollar sign so I wish you lots of that too!)

    Hah, I’ll take it Lesley!

  28. vanessa
    05.21.2009

    Happy anniversary. Four years – wow how time flies! Actually today little O is 4 months old, my nephew in Oz is 5 years old and it’s Hilary’s BD too so a great day all around. Your rings look v nice together and i also like that little scar/ scab just above on your pinky knuckle – keeping it real. he he he. Auguri! Vanessa

    Hah, I couldn’t take a photo without cuts/scabs/scars on my hand if I wanted to! Congrats on all your special days 🙂

  29. SabineM
    05.22.2009

    Awesome!!!!

    SabineM’s last blog post..My blog

    Thanks Sabine 🙂

  30. 05.22.2009

    an anniversary is an anniversary. a celebration of an important event. many happy ones to you and your love.

    margie’s last blog post..give heart – love thursday

    Thanks so much Margie 🙂

  31. a...
    05.22.2009

    That’s just beautiful!!!!! Augurissimi!!!!

    a…’s last blog post..what a week!

    Grazie mille bella 🙂

  32. 05.22.2009

    That’s interesting. I will have been married for 15 years on June 18. We have Celtic wedding bands that we bought on our honeymoon in Ireland. They are gold with Celtic symbols (you can see them in this post: http://hyggedigter.blogspot.com/search?q=don%27t+get+me+started)

    I never had a desire for an engagement ring. We were in our 30s when we met and we decided within a year of meeting and living together that we were meant to be together for life. A diamond ring wasn’t something I ever looked for – they are beautiful, undeniably, but it just wasn’t for me.

    We take our rings off every night and put them together in a little china dish – nestled together.

    I like your combination of the white gold band and the engagement ring and how it works for you both. Not every relationship can be summed up with the classic twosome on that left finger.

    Kat

    Poetikat’s last blog post..Theme Thursday: Vacation

    Completely agree with you; thanks so much for sharing your lovely story and photo 🙂 I like that your rings cuddle up at night…very cute 🙂

  33. 05.22.2009

    Great post … I hope you had a wonderful anniversary. May you be as happy and in love many, many years to come!

    maria’s last blog post..Spetzofai se Kantaifi — Sausage and Peppers over Kataifi

    Thanks so much, Maria!

  34. 05.23.2009

    Auguri!!
    And I love your ‘kids’! I used to have one too –her name was Gza Gza –all white with a map of Canada on her belly in grey!
    Baci!
    Alex

    Alex’s last blog post..Missing La Vida Blogga

    Aw, sounds so cute! But aren’t all kids cute? 😉

  35. The rings look good together, just like you and P! I mean of course that you look good together (and not that you look like rings..)!

    Hapy anniversary to both of you. Here’s to many many more!!

    Hee hee hee…thanks 🙂

  36. 05.23.2009

    Happy Anniversary!

    Kalee’s last blog post..At The Crack Of Dawn

    Thanks Kalee!

  37. 05.23.2009

    I love your story, and I especially love that it’s not Hollywood. The BeanPa and I decided to have a baby after three months of knowing each other… no rings yet … we’ll see what the future holds. Baby first.

    You go BeanGenitori 🙂

  38. 05.26.2009

    What a beautiful post bella – Happy Anniversary to both you and your marito!

    MsGourmet’s last blog post..Autumn Leaves

    Thank you 🙂

  39. 05.26.2009

    Congratulations – and here’s to many more years together! x

    Nora’s last blog post..

    Thanks so much Nora 🙂

  40. 05.27.2009

    congrats!!! i love your rings. here’s to you and P and for the rest of your lives together! 🙂

    odessa’s last blog post..confession tuesday

    Thanks Odessa 🙂

  41. Cristina
    05.29.2009

    Belli annelli! (I made a rhyme!) Tanti Auguri, Cristina

    Indeed you did! Thanks Cristina 🙂

  42. 06.02.2009

    Happy Anniversary!!

    Anali’s last blog post..Free Saturday Yoga

    Thank you 🙂

Michelle KaminskyMichelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived. 

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Recipes

 

Homemade apple butter
Green beans, potatoes, and pancetta
Glazed Apple Oatmeal Cinnamon Muffins
Pasta with snails alla calabrese
Onion, Oregano, and Thyme Focaccia
Oatmeal Banana Craisin Muffins
Prosciutto wrapped watermelon with bel paese cheese
Fried eggs with red onion and cheese
Calabrian sausage and fava beans
Ricotta Pound Cake