Happy Anniversary

Monday was mine and Todd's eighth anniversary.  We celebrated all weekend long.  Our good friends watched Jack and Hazel overnight Friday so we could have a get-away.  We ended up staying local and sleeping at home, but it was a gift in itself to sleep in until 8:45!  (Jack's been coming in our room about 6:15 every day since Daylight Savings Time ended.)

Friday night we went out for a couple's massage.  I was really looking forward to it, as my back has been hurting a lot lately and I've had two fabulous experiences with professional massages.  Unfortunately, this experience was not fabulous.  It's our own fault for trying to book an appointment last minute (the day before).  The only place that could get us in at the time we wanted was half price - and you get what you pay for.  At the end of the hour, I stood up and the first thing I said to Todd was, "My back still hurts."  He said his experience was pretty good, but that he never needs to go again.  Either Todd really, really doesn't care for back massages, or his guy wasn't that great, because when it's done right, you feel like you're made of butter for the next twelve hours.  It is heavenly! 

We went out for steak and were back home by 8:30.  We spent the night reading The False Prince aloud, munching on popcorn and feeling weird that the kids' bedroom was empty. 

As I said, we slept in the next morning.  Then we grabbed some fresh bagel sandwiches for breakfast and drove up to Oakland to do sealings in the temple.  Afterward, we snagged the kids.  They had nap/quiet time, and it was over to a friends' house for dinner.

 Sunday I taught about temple marriage (coincidentally enough) to the 12- and 13-year olds at church.  Preparing that lesson throughout the week beforehand, along with our anniversary coming up anyway, gave me a lot of time to reflect on the gift Todd and I have been given to be sealed together, and what our temple covenants have done to bless our marriage.  I am grateful for the long-term perspective we have of being together for eternity, and for the respectful and joyful way we treat each other because we know our relationship is a forever one.

I'm overwhelmingly thankful to be married to a man so courteous, so hard-working, so fun-loving, and so darn good looking. 

7th Anniversary

Today is mine and Todd's seventh anniversary. Seven really good years.

I've been bummed about it, though, because Todd's missing it. He's been in Alabama for an Army course for the past two weeks and is scheduled to fly home tomorrow. Tomorrow. This would be the second wedding anniversary the military has prevented us from celebrating together.

Todd texted me mid-day and said he was getting bad reception and a terrible internet connection, so to scratch our Skype meeting tonight and we would just catch up on everything when he was "back in civilization." I was pretty sad about that. Our wedding anniversary, and we barely even get a couple of minutes to talk to each other. (He called in the morning, and we did chat for a bit.)

So I was surprised when I heard my Todd ringtone on my cell phone tonight at 9:30. I answered. "Hey, happy anniversary! I didn't think you were going to call tonight. It's pretty late for you, aren't you in bed yet?" (11:30 in Alabama.) We chatted for just a minute or two before I started hearing Todd's voice in two places at once: my phone speaker, and outside my front door.

He surprised me by coming home early! And apparently it was a pretty big feat, too. Things wrapped up at 10:30 this morning, and right away he got on the phone to try to change his flight. He snagged one that was leaving in an hour, and sped the whole way to the airport. He got on his plane only five minutes before take-off, still carrying his big, should-have-been-checked suitcase.

He's asleep now. I'm not quite ready. I am crying here, overwhelmed with love for this man who is gone way too much, and makes me ache, I miss him so much. Seven really great years. I'll take 'em. I'll take him.