Monday, June 8, 2009

Wedding Anniversary


Sometime this month is our 5 year Wedding Anniversary. I say sometime, because I honestly can't remember the exact date. And since women are the date keepers of stuff like that. We ended up not celebrating our anniversary (ever). Not that I want to or feel that I'm missing out or anything. The truth is neither me nor my husband cares that much. Also it was slightly confusing to keep track of the date since we had something like three weddings (sorta- long story that I don't have time to share at the moment). So life is slightly easier not having to worry about something like that. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for special occasions and celebrations. And I am indeed very happy I married my (God willing) life long partner. It's just not our thing at the moment, maybe we'll pick a random date and make it our anniversary and start celebrating it in the future. maybe not... but for now, this works.

I know anyone who knows us (me and my beloved spouse) or has been to our Egyptian wedding by a boat on the Nile, either heard or experienced the story I'm about to share. I am typing this for all you (what five people?) that haven't heard this. As my own distorted way of celebrating our anniversary.

*Note:: we had a nontraditional Egyptian wedding where we segregated (Egyptians don't segregate. At the time we were trying to have a somewhat Islamic wedding) the men' s party was on a moving boat, while the women' s party was at a stationary bigger party boat.

This story occurred at the men' s boat. I was told about it later...

(Skipping the uninteresting part)... So after everyone boarded. The boat was on the move along with the wedding party. The sail boat wasn't equipped to host parties which meant they didn't have any means of warming the food, so the men got served cold roasted lamb, rice and drinks. Ideally we wanted a traditional Sufi poetry reciter for entertainment, but ended up with more tradition than we cared for.
The turban wearing, upper Egyptian poetry reciter was (like all Egyptians) obsessed with microphones. So our beloved guests, some of whom had very sensitive musical ears that might have been irreversibly damaged, got to listen to incredibly distorted poetry recitation blasted through speakers on the highest volume that you can imagine (remember, they were on a moving boat in the middle of the Nile). While all the while thinking it can't get any worse- something happened: Unannounced- our dear guests started noticing strange behavior from the sailors. The sailors were bringing down the sails, then lying flat on their bellies. Looking ahead, one of the guests realized the disaster about to happen. He immediately shouted : "LOW BRIDGE!!!". In a frenzy of flying plates, glasses, and silverware, everyone ( miraculously) managed to duck in time. A poor lonely coca cola bottle that was abandoned, on one of the tables, amidst all the chaos, didn't make it. The guests watched the fate of the bottle, as it flew overboard, hitting the water surface with a frightening SPLASH, all the while thinking this could have been their exact fate.

So there we finally did it. A promise of decapitating all our guests on our wedding night.
As for my dad, some might wonder. Well lets just say he was a good sport-he did allow two inexperienced people to plan their first (and only) wedding. He is embarrassed to this very day ( I never mention my wedding in front of him, EVER!).
My twin sister made it up for him at her wedding though. She gave him a 500 guests, western band, belly dancer, well lets just say the whole nine yards shabang.

For what it's worth, at least we have a cool decapitation story to tell our kids someday. Don't you agree?

A very happy Anniversary to my hubby, whatever the date may be. I am truly one lucky woman. Thank you for those amazing five years, and two gorgeous, sweet, little girls. I love you.

To everyone else:: don't worry we only get married once ( sorta- As I said it's another story)
Peace:)

FYI: I searched the internet for what might resemble a photo for the men' s boat but couldn't find any. Instead I came across a photo of the same boat I had the girl's party at.

5 comments:

Sarah said...

I can't believe your brother never told me about that. That low bridge incident is "the event."

Do you have it video taped? Hehehe

Someday I wanna sit down with you and have you telling me all about the three wedding story. It sounds interesting:)

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary! May Allah grant you and your family happiness in this world and the next. By the way, I was the one who left the anonymous comment about keeping in touch with moms through technology. You and I have never met, but I hope to meet you in the future, insha Allah. I am a student of Sheikh Nuh's.

Kate said...

oh. my. goodness. I agree: I'd like to see a video;)

And yes, near-decapitations make excellent stories to tell the children. That, after all, is way more exciting than a bouquet toss, first dance, drunken wedding party vomiting in the corner kind of traditional thing!

Happy anniversary....

Muslim Hippie said...

Sara & Kate- I know we're lame but we actually didn't video tape the party! so you'll just have to visualize it in your head.

Anonymous- Thank you for the du'a:) Would love to meet another student of Sheikh Nuh. Are you somewhere close?

Anonymous said...

I'm living in Egypt now. Hopefully when you come for a visit, I'll still be living here, insha Allah :)