Six Years with my Devorah

I just celebrated six years with my beloved Devorah.

But let’s take a detour for a moment to tell the story of our anniversary, a day in which my amazing wife and I had quite an adventure.

As some may have read, we were fostering a dog for many months. We expected the experience to last no longer than two weeks… and when we surpassed the three month mark, we were exhausted, frustrated with humanity, and really nervous we wouldn’t find a proper solution we could live with.

One of the “deadlines” for me for figuring everything out was our anniversary. Devorah and I have a basic agreement. Three times a year (our birthdays and our anniversary), we are rich. The rest of the year we can pinch pennies, but these days we treat as special.

But as we inched closer and closer to the big day, and we were spending an ungodly amount of time on everything from long dog walks to training to advertising to introducing Benny to possible families, it was beginning to look more and more like nothing was working. And our anniversary was going to be anything from mediocre to downright ruined.

A Big Benny Turnaround

That morning, not long after I woke up, a family we had been in touch with wrote me and said they wanted to adopt Benny.

Now, this story is probably not going where you think it is.

Of course we were happy–ecstatic even–but there were some big matters that needed attending to.

The family that wished to adopt Benny lived up north, about two hours away. The agency connected to Benny said they wouldn’t finalize the adoption until a ride was arranged. But the person who found the family said she wouldn’t begin looking for a potential ride until after the adoption was completed.

Yeah. So there we were. We could end this crazy saga… but only if we could solve this maddening catch-22.

So of course you know what we did. We packed up a 23 kilo dog into our backseat, and spent our sixth anniversary driving up north to see where Benny would be running around having the time of his life. Forever!

Shockingly Perfect Anniversary

Now here’s the crazy part. By definition this day could barely have been planned. The day was tossed together on the spot, and would involve a shockingly large amount of time in a car.

And yet, it was perfect.

Everything about it was perfect.

We hung out a whole lot in the morning. We went to coffee shop together. We drove really fast on Israel’s insane highways. Met a young couple that we very clearly would have never otherwise met. Said farewell to our furry little buddy. And ate at a gorgeous restaurant in Caesarea, all while watching the mesmerizing waves of the Mediterranean crash against the shore.

And we went home happy.

Perfect.

Who to Spend Five Hours With

It was a lovely, simple yet complex, and utterly unforgettable anniversary.

I honestly can’t picture it being any better.

So why was it so good? And why do I feel closer to Devorah now than six years ago? Or even six days ago?

First and foremost, five hours in a car in one day is never all that pleasant (especially considering the ridiculous drivers of the Holy Land). But the experience is worlds better with someone you love spending time with. And I honestly can’t think of anyone else I’d want to do that with.

An hour or two here and there with a few people, maybe. But five hours? That’s reserved for the best people in your life! That’s time to be with your best and closest friend.

Anything less and you’re struggling to drive… while simultaneously strangling the person next to you.

On a Journey Together

But let’s go a little deeper.

How’d this day come about?

The crazy day we experienced was all about finding a loving home for a dog we completely gave ourselves to over the previous three months.

I’ve definitely come to realize through this experience that most people are just not like us. They’re not taking in dogs while the dog’s family is escaping a war zone (We miss you Luca!). They’re not bringing kittens into their home on the brink of death. And they’re not training a terrified street dog for months and months to try to ensure he doesn’t find his way to a kill shelter.

And they’re not driving two hours up north just so that dog will have a loving, permanent home.

So what does it all mean?

It means we’re a team. We’re on a journey together.

And like any epic journey, it’s got bumps on the road. It hasn’t always been easy. In these crazy six years, we’ve navigated everything from global pandemics to wars to medical issues to infertility to just merging the lives of two stubborn, complex people. And we’ve done so with grace. With passion.

And exhaustion, frustration, and a few tears shed along the way.

Suffering… Together

The greatest relationships aren’t forged through endless joy. They grow from the hardships faced together. This pain creates unbreakable, beautiful bonds.

I want to travel with Devorah. I want to own a home, have a child, and grow old with Devorah.

And I want us to feel joy together.

But how does the universe see us getting there? What’s the path to get where we want to be?

Apparently it’s in a world of quarantines, bomb shelters, and invasive medical procedures.

But I’ve got great news!

There is no one in the world I want to be stuck in quarantine with more than Devorah. There’s no one out there I want more to run with down to a bomb shelter. And when I suffer, I want Devorah to be the first to comfort me.

And when the time comes to get the life we deserve, there is nobody, nobody at all, I want to be celebrating with more.

Happy Six Years, Devorah

Babe, life is crazy. It’s not always easy.

But I believe in us. And I love you from the deepest places in my heart.

I am ecstatic we sat next to each other at that Shabbat table way back when. I’m overjoyed you knew there was something special happening that day.

And I’m so glad I asked you to hang out.

We’ve been hanging out together ever since.

And I hope we hang out for the rest of our lives.

Happy six years, my love!