{"id":3040,"date":"2025-09-18T21:18:45","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T01:18:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/?p=3040"},"modified":"2025-09-29T21:21:00","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T01:21:00","slug":"an-anniversary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/2025\/09\/18\/an-anniversary\/","title":{"rendered":"Another Good Day for Cake"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>September 18, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Years ago when our county elementary schools were thrown together into that scary, hormonal infested world called Middle School, I met lots of kids. I was a misfit. Socially awkward. Always have been. Never fit in anyplace. Never was like other kids. Made friends ok. Still have some of those same friends today. One person stood out. One person that was like me. I connected with this person on some level. A different kind of friend. Someone who got me. Who said it was ok to be me. Weird and different wasn\u2019t so lonely anymore. I didn\u2019t know what it was. For the first time, I just felt \u201cnormal\u201d. We were just friends. We laughed. We talked. We passed notes. We were just friends. We muddled through sixth, seventh, eighth grade. Always in the same class. We were just friends. Always leaning on each other. There were people who passed in and out of our lives. Disappointments and pre-teen angst. We were just friends. We went to high school. Joined ROTC and Drill Team together. Through that, we learned there were others similar to us. We felt we finally belonged someplace. We were just friends. As ninth grade faded into summer, we talked and talked and talked. We learned to drive. We saw movies and spent lots of time together doing nothing. Saying nothing. Got jobs. Went to prom. Exchanged quick notes at the lockers or shared the occasional lunch. We were friends but there was something more. Tenth turned into twelfth which quickly left two weird kids on a football field one humid Georgia evening, dressed in cap and gown, wondering what excitement the world had in store. Still friends but there was something more. We went to college together at first then to separate places. Still talking. Dreaming. Planning. Because there was something more. College was ending. Being apart becoming unbearable. Great thought was given to a ring design. A special ring. A different ring. A symbol like no other except the match that he would wear. There was something more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>26 years ago I married that weird little kid from 6th grade who was so much like me. That kid that I saw and thought (without knowing why) \u201coh, there you are\u201d and we were just friends but there was more. So much more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you for your friendship. For not judging me. For always, no matter what, never giving up. I hearted you first because I knew. You were kind. You were passionate. You were smart. You were awkward. You were different. You were weird and a little insane. Your smile alone made my day. You made me laugh. You made me happy. You made me\u2026\u201dme\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I heart you forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"698\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"3050\" src=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3982-698x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3050\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3982-698x1024.jpeg 698w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3982-204x300.jpeg 204w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3982-768x1127.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3982.jpeg 994w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 698px) 100vw, 698px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"3062\" src=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3975-1-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3062\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3975-1-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3975-1-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3975-1-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3975-1-1536x2048.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3975-1-scaled.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"795\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"3042\" src=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-9-19-25-at-11.07-AM-795x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3042\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-9-19-25-at-11.07-AM-795x1024.jpeg 795w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-9-19-25-at-11.07-AM-233x300.jpeg 233w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-9-19-25-at-11.07-AM-768x989.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-9-19-25-at-11.07-AM.jpeg 1008w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 795px) 100vw, 795px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"964\" data-id=\"3054\" src=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3904-1024x964.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3054\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3904-1024x964.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3904-300x282.jpeg 300w, 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src=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2862-819x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3045\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2862-819x1024.jpeg 819w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2862-240x300.jpeg 240w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2862-768x960.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_2862.jpeg 1125w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"3043\" src=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/913C2FF4-B6F3-4B86-9B48-28558EC01429-1024x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3043\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/913C2FF4-B6F3-4B86-9B48-28558EC01429-1024x1024.jpeg 1024w, 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https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_9684-150x150.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"769\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"3059\" src=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3288-769x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3059\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3288-769x1024.jpeg 769w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3288-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3288-768x1022.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3288-1154x1536.jpeg 1154w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3288-1539x2048.jpeg 1539w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_3288-scaled.jpeg 1923w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"863\" data-id=\"3047\" src=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_7936.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3047\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_7936.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_7936-261x300.jpeg 261w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"920\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"3044\" src=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/FullSizeRender-920x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3044\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/FullSizeRender-920x1024.jpeg 920w, 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https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_4386-1539x2048.jpeg 1539w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_4386-scaled.jpeg 1923w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"576\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"3056\" src=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5144-576x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3056\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5144-576x1024.png 576w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5144-169x300.png 169w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_5144.png 750w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"3046\" src=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_7888-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3046\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_7888-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_7888-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_7888.jpeg 960w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"806\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"3061\" src=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_7759-1-806x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3061\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_7759-1-806x1024.jpeg 806w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_7759-1-236x300.jpeg 236w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_7759-1-768x975.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_7759-1-1210x1536.jpeg 1210w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_7759-1-1613x2048.jpeg 1613w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_7759-1-scaled.jpeg 2016w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 806px) 100vw, 806px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"754\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"3063\" src=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_4332-754x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3063\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_4332-754x1024.jpeg 754w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_4332-221x300.jpeg 221w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_4332-768x1043.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/IMG_4332.jpeg 1116w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 754px) 100vw, 754px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>September 18, 2025 Years ago when our county elementary schools were thrown together into that scary, hormonal infested world called Middle School, I met lots of kids. I was a misfit. Socially awkward. Always have been. Never fit in anyplace. Never was like other kids. Made friends ok. Still have some of those same friends [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"blocksy_meta":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3040","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3040"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3040\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3065,"href":"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3040\/revisions\/3065"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gassett.info\/david\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}