[twitter]We’ve always said we met on July 4. When it came to planning our wedding date, we chose July 4 because that was the day we met. We thought.

Well, we had actually spoken on the phone for the first time on July 4, so maybe that counts as ‘the day we met?’ Funny. I’d always thought that first date had been on the 4th.

When I was catching up on nearly a decade of old tax returns recently, I found the above receipt in the 2006 folder. It wasfor  a lunch date at the Cactus Club in West Vancouver. The first date I had with Jennifer.

I think Jennifer wasn’t hungry and didn’t eat, hence the light tab. I remember we sat at the bar and had a light conversation, each keeping one eye on the soccer match that was on the lounge screens. We sipped a cranberry soda, and an iced tea, while snacking on edamame and a green salad.

After France defeated Portugal to advance to the 2006 World Cup final we started making plans to go on a second date that weekend – in France. Or Germany. Or anywhere we could watch the game with a huge and passionate crowd. I tried to find flights to Europe for the weekend, and while we could get there, we couldn’t get home in time for work. So we settled on Montreal.

Our first date was a light lunch, or second was a weekend away. What can I say, we move(d) quickly.

Today, Jennifer and I are going to the Cactus Club in Calgary to celebrate our anniversary. Again we will watch France play some soccer in pursuit of a World Cup title, just as they did on that July 4 July 5 afternoon 8 years ago.

Jennifer likes to count this as our 8th anniversary, I only count it as our 5th since we didn’t get married until July 4, 2009. The 5th anniversary gift is wood. So we’re getting some tall aspen trees for the backyard.

Happy Anniversary, Bebe. Today, or tomorrow, or forever. It doesn’t matter. Thanks for choo choo choosing me and Allez Les Bleus!!