May 21, 2009

White Dog curled against us and listened to the story which explained tonight's special celebration....As starry-eyed, madly in love college students 30 years ago Steve and I made the decision to wed. We chose a remote wooded site (a Boy Scout Camp in Michigan), asked musician friends to perform original compositions and others to share selected readings. We were both to become a hyphenated hybrid of our names to reflect our union (two becoming one). Steve's mother pitched a FIT at this and added such pressure to him (her only child) that ultimately we decided it was not worth the trauma and negative energy.

Today, nearly 30 years later, Steve stood before the judge and legally completed the last step in fulfilling his long ago promise. This morning he became Stephen F. Sehi-Smith! His wonderful romantic gesture after all this time overwhelms me.

Since White Dog and I already carry the name, our family now truly reflects the blending of individuals into one single force of love. At the end of the story, White Dog looks at Steve and squirms a little closer.