TEN Fingers!

Each year on our wedding anniversary, we take a photo holding up the number of fingers representing the number of years we have been married. It has been a super fun way to keep track of our married years. Some anniversaries were celebrated in remote areas of the world (Rome wins the prize for the farthest away). Some anniversaries were celebrated with a big purchase (like our new bed to replace the hand-me-down bed we were loaned when we got married). Some anniversaries were celebrated with the kids in tow. Some anniversaries were celebrated without ever leaving home. ALL anniversaries were highly celebrated.

With each anniversary (and hence, each passing year of marriage), we have naturally grown in our love for each other. Our collection of "finger" pictures has grown as well. This year was year ten. It is one of those "big" year anniversaries. Our original plans for a celebratory cruise or trip to New York City (or some other fun city) all seemed to fall though. No problem, we thought. Who says we have to wake up next to each other in New York City or on a boat in the Caribbean to know and feel in love? Shoot, we wake up next to each other every morning and feel loved.

Every couple has special little "things" that mean a lot to them. One of the little "things" Joey and I have is this little thing that started while we were dating. The first Christmas we were dating, Joey gave me a giant size Christmas card. (I mean GIANT, something like 3 feet by 2 feet.) When I opened the card, he had written in tiny words ALL over the inside of the card. It was quite a lengthy love letter. Since that time, he has given me a few other giant size cards on which he has done the same thing. They are always super sweet. They are also always super hilarious (because my husband is hilarious when he writes). Anyway, this year I decided I would attempt to make him a giant card and fill it with my sweet words to him. I got all crafty on the outside of the card and arranged nine mini cards with our "finger" anniversary pictures from the past nine years hidden inside of them. Then on the inside I wrote my love letter and I included a "10" card. Our anniversary day came. We went out to our favorite fancy restaurant (The Melting Pot). Then we each gave each other our anniversary "gifts." Would you believe Joey and I did the same thing? Only his giant card to me was FOUR poster boards with the pictures from the past 9 anniversaries and memories from each of those years together. His words are precious to me. As we read the cards from each other out loud, we laughed, cried, and fell even more in love. Precious. I will spare you readers all the mushy details of our cards, but I did put together a little video with a compilation of the photos. Hope you enjoy!

(long frustrating pause- who knew making a video and trying to post it would be this difficult??)

I am new to the whole creating a video thing, and I am still trying to figure it out. The computer is telling me it might be hours before the video actually shows up. So...until then, I will share with you just a smidgen of the love letter I wrote to Joey in my giant card:

TOP TEN Reasons I love my husband:
10: His ability to make me laugh when he says something funny and cry when he says something sweet
9. The way he quizzes me about trivial things and then explains those trivial things in such a way that actually makes them interesting.
8. His ability to be a kid and have fun - like the way he loves to play games and play with toys (especially really intricate scientific ones) and the way he comes home from work and says "what are we doing tonight?" fully expecting/hoping that I will say something like "We are going to Incredible Pizza, then the zoo, then on a hot air balloon ride" (or something similar) and then his ability to not act terribly disappointed when instead I answer something like "we're going to clean out the garage and put the kids to bed early."
7. The way he makes everything better in my life - food tastes better, music is more beautiful, movies are more interesting, nature is more awe-inspiring and so on.
6. His many God-given talents like his genius brain, his creativity, his ability to write on a level with Dave Barry, his voice, his ability to hear a song and play it on the guitar or piano within minutes, etc.
5. The way he takes the time to do everything right - in his work (I know his patients appreciate it), in the way he fixes things around the house (it may take three days, but by golly, it is done right) and in the way he resolves conflicts the right way.
4. His humility and the way he never acts prideful or cocky. The fact that he is probably embarrassed to admit all these amazing things about him are true is proof of his humility.
3. The way he takes charge and leads our family spiritually. He loves God and wants to please him in every area - at work, at church, as a husband, as a father and in life.
2. His ability to teach, train, love and play with our children and the way they respond to him. He is the best combination of firm and fun as a father and our kids are thriving because of him.
1. The way he makes it his goal in life to make me happy and he does such a good job of accomplishing that goal. I have never been happier.

Still waiting on the video.... it may never happen. I made it on our dot photo account, but can't seem to copy it here on the blog. I guess if nothing else, you could click here to see it. It is one of those things that is special to Joey and I, but may bore the rest of you to tears. Watch it anyway because it took me all day to make (wink and smile, remember I am new to this) The song in the background is Passing Afternoon by Iron and Wine. (If the music doesn't start with the show, click stop and then start again...I don't know why it isn't working right)