Happy Anniversary. (almost) 11 years Married. Happy.

Just finished my little creative card thingy for Keith, my husband of nearly 11 years. Friday, the 23rd is the actual anniversary date. This Weekend we'll have a date, eat good food. We'll get to hang out just the two of us. I totally look forward to it.

old scanned photo. bad quality. here we are in 1996 though.

 I love this guy. We met in 1996, well, 1995 really, but more officially in 1996. He's my best friend. I adore his being. I hate when he is not around. The life we have is good, happy, loving. 

But, when anniversary time rolls around I always stress over what to write, make, or do. As I finished this year's card I was thinking it wasn't expressive enough. I can't ever get OUT what I want to SAY. I know it's cliche but you just can't put it into words. Or maybe it's just my lack of college degree. probably. I should read more.

really though, I want to give this man the universe. I really do. Stressing over a card and how I'll make it witty or creative and romantic is, well, not really worth all that much. Certainly not the universe. What I really need to do, what I must strive for as our years of marriage continue is being in the moment with this man more.

Less: "Shit, can you grab a pack of toilet paper?!?!" more: looking into his eyes. (I am literally sideways smiling about thinking about that right now)

I think this photo was on another blog post but I love it so here it is again.

Less: "Goddammit we have ANTS!" more: paying attention to the temperature & feel of the skin on his hand while we sit next to each other.

New Years Eve 2010.

Less: "I guess I am the only one that can fill a Brita pitcher in this house" more: thank yous, for the multitude of things he does for me, for us, for our family. 

Less: hurried smooches and quick "I love yous" in passing. More: hugs goodbye like the ones on super duper bad days, but on the days that are good too.

At Longwood Gardens, Last month.

I need to embrace this man's soul (wait that sounds creepy) AH crap, I need to be more in the moment with him. And that's what my 11th anniversary gift should be. Will be.

10 Years of Married

This post was not planned. I just felt like writing about my anniversary, my husband, my marriage, my life today.

This day 10 years ago I married a wonderful guy. He's sensitive, caring, loving, funny, bold, handsome, creative, inspiring and on and on...At this time 10 years ago I was completely worried about the rain that was coming out of the gray skies, onto the pretty white chairs lined up for our upcoming afternoon ceremony.  The guys helped to dry chairs off before people arrived to watch us vow publicly what we knew long ago.

Ten years flew by faster than any cell in my body ever could have imagined. I love sharing the whirlwind speedy life with my partner, my fairy tale prince, my friend. We have a good life, we fit each other rather perfectly. We have are easy with each other. I guess we accidentally found this ease to work nicely these ten years. Well, and to be honest for the years before those too.

It stopped raining for the ceremony. Those rainy, gray morning skies turned out to be a blessing of bright white light for the photographer. We said our words to each other, holding back tears of joy.

side note: That is one huge regret I have about the wedding. I should have just cried! I am rather and expert at swallowing back and holding down tears and bawls. In my defense, I was doing what came easiest. BUT! I should have let them fall that day, it would have been perfectly fine and less odd-looking on the video. I was repeatedly swallowing and blinking like a wacko...I guess it's something to laugh about now.

 What have I learned in a 10 year marriage? what has the easiness taught me? Inadvertently, it has instructed me to take care...even the smoothest of relationships require careful attention to detail. This partnership still requires special isolated moments. Dedicated smiley moments, thoughts, words, actions to remind one another what got us to this easy place.

I think we do a pretty nice job keeping up with finding those snippets of this fast paced life. We stop and look into each other's eyes and silently remind one another how we adore sharing it with a person like them.

I took some moments yesterday to compile all the images I could find of Keith and I together over the past 10 years. I added our "first dance" song from our Wedding reception. I thought I'd share it with you today. The song is rather fitting if I do say so myself.