ScatterPod Fiction and Films from Michael Bekemeyer

She’s Turning 29…Again!

Hello, Some of you may know me and some of you may not. But, if you’re here today, you’re here because we’re both lucky enough to know my lovely wife, Michele whose birthday is today.

I would just post a picture of Michele here, but this is the only recent one I know of that she doesn’t hate. So, you get a picture of me too.  :P

I have known Michele more than half my life. We started out as strangers in Spanish class, in the 10th grade. She had a big head of curly, red hair that was impossible to not notice. Then, about a year later, we ended up with a mutual friend and became sparring partners of sorts. Our banter was a little famous within our circle of friends. For those of you who follow Michele on Twitter, you know THAT part of her has not changed at all. She’s always been quick witted and viciously funny. Yes, I was the butt of many cruel jokes and I still am. But, if you know Michele well enough, it turns out that picking on you is her way of telling you how much she really cares. If you’re one of those people, wear that fact like a badge of honor. You’re the lucky one.

At some point over the next year or two we became more than friends. She was my best friend and I didn’t realize until many years later that I had actually fallen in love with her my senior year in high school. The problem was that I hadn’t really seen her since then and ten years went by before our paths crossed again. Lucky for me, that when we did re-meet, we instantly picked up right where we left off and became fast friends again. Then, as fate and fortune would have it, we were lucky enough to become the best kind of friends…

In March we will have been married for eight years. We have two kids, Molly and Elise and a dog called Mocha. And soon we’ll even have a cat, which we’ve already decided to call Mr. Higgins. Unfortunately all the fish have died and we’ve resolved to stay away from fish altogether, as it isn’t good for morale. These past eight years together have been good ones. We’ve had our ups and downs, our good times and bad ones, but one of Michele’s special skills is to always be able to dig herself out of a hole. Lucky for me, the kids, the dog and the soon to be cat, that when she does dig herself out of a hole, she always takes us with her.

The last couple of years I have watched Michele grow into a true writer. Not just someone who doodles with words every now and then; a REAL writer. She sat down and wrote her first novel, a Regency Romance novel called Trapping a Duchess and to my huge surprise decided to podcast it as a serialized audio book. She’s grown and in many ways, I feel like she is finally learning how to fit into her own skin. I’m so proud of her for continuing to challenge herself with new things, pushing herself to grow. She may be turning [REDACTED] today, but she isn’t acting her age at all. And it’s damn sexy.

You can continue reading, but I’m going to ignore all of you now and talk directly to my wife, so excuse me…

Michele…thank you for everything you have done, will do and have been to me for over twenty-one years. You have been my best friend, my lover, my baby’s mamma, my laughing buddy. You have been the infectious laugh I can’t ignore, the only person I give a shit about what they think, the person I snuggle up to at bedtime. You have been the lips, face, hair and body that I compare all other lips faces, hair and bodies to and they can’t even begin to compete. You have been the brain that fascinates me and turns me on…and quite frankly confuses me from time to time, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. You have been my warmth when there was no other warmth to be found. You have been my teacher and my shoulder to cry on. (sorry about all the snot stains and ruined shirts, btw). But, most of all and more importantly you have been my hero. You have saved my life time and time again. With every breath, blink, heartbeat and giggle, you have saved me from the perilous existence of loneliness. I can never repay you for that. I can only love you back and hope that it’s enough.

So, happy birthday, baby. I hope turning twenty-nine is even better this year than it was last year. I hope this post makes you smile and reminds you how eternally priceless and irreplaceable you are to all of us.

I love you…

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Please leave Michele a birthday wish in the comments section and tell her how much you love her.

Thanks,

- Michael

VERY special thank to Starla Hutchton, who helped me figure out how best to do this. I think the idea may have even been hers to begin with. We love you too, dear. xxx