Our wedding Anniversary

Today is Brad and my 9 year wedding anniversary. (Yes, Anthony is 10, that's another story for another day) Nine years ago tonight Brad and I were 22 years old, had a two year old and worked 3 jobs between us just to pay the bills. We rarely had more than a few dollars in our bank account. Yet, thanks to our family, the wedding was beautiful. The ceremony and reception were at a historic house in downtown Tucson. We were wed on the middle landing of a two story stair case with our family seated below and in the balcony all around us. Anthony was our ring bearer and spent most of the wedding yelling "Mommy! Daddy!" from my grandfathers lap in the balcony. We said our "I Do's," took pictures and made our grand entrance to the Star Trek Generations theme song. Yea, we were dorks! We ate, we danced and shoved cake in each others faces.


We left via limo to a local resort hotel tucked into the mountains. The deluxe suite was paid for us and stocked with diet coke, oranges, crackers, cheese and summer sausage. We were classy! After peeling me out of my gown we filled the double tub with warm bubbly water, poured our diet cokes and sunk in. I think it was 5 min.'s later that we started to fall asleep. We got out, debated our "wedding night" obligations and ultimately got into bed and fell asleep. Snoring, drooling, deep sleep!

Fast forward 9 years and we kissed a sideways kiss this morning as Brad was leaving for work and I was still in bed. He said "happy anniversary" and I think I mumbled something in return. We've never been much for celebrating the anniversary any more than we were for celebrating our wedding night itself. We have just never been that way. Never had the money, never had the babysitter, the energy, the time off or any combination of those all together. We celebrate when all those things combine, not when the date itself comes up.

Tonight wasn't much of an exception but like always we make it work for us. I surprised Brad with a "date." Anthony and our niece Alana (who's 10 as well) were in charge of "babysitting." I put both of those in quotes because the truth is that Brad and I just went across our street to the neighborhood pool for a picnic dinner. The girls thought we were really going out and Brad had no idea what was going on. He was very skeptical of leaving the 10 year olds in charge of the 4 and 2 1/2 year olds. After 9 years though, he's learned to trust me enough to only ask a few questions. (Haha!)

I had packed the picnic basket and set one of the tables under the ramada at the pool. We ate, talked, watched the sun go down then sat in the spa for an hour or two.

Our table:



Our house:




When we got home, dishes were done, the girls were bathed and tucked in their beds asleep. Anthony had read a bed time story to Hailey and Alana read to Makenna then they each laid with the girls for a few minuets till they were almost asleep. I couldn't have asked for better babysitters!

I'm laying in bed next to a sleeping Brad. He is truly my best friend. I talk to him multiple times a day and always have more to talk about. He makes me laugh, he holds me when I cry and supports me in ways I never knew possible. We have had a turbulent, tumultuous and rewarding marriage. I love him more and more every year.