Another I do!

Patrick and I celebrated another year together this weekend with something that we rarely do anymore... dinner out two nights in a row.  Whoa, we're really livin' wild now.  Because it may be just a little harder to pin down a sitter next anniversary with a five year old, two three year olds and a six month old we jumped at the opportunity when both Sonia and Irene volunteered to give us a few hours away.  We went to  Chopes for Mexican food the first night and had the most flavorful and deeelicious chile rellenos (I could eat them every meal from now until forever.....yummmm green chile) and Olive Garden the next night.  I know what you're thinking. Olive Garden on your anniversary, how cliche'!  Normally I would agree except that I haven't had Olive Garden in years AND it just opened in our small town a little over a month ago and my preggo cravings have been calling out for unlimited salad and bread sticks ever since! So that settled it. Pregnant lady cravings trump adventurous and novel cuisine choices every time. At any rate we had two wonderful dinners out alone and we hardly talked about the kids at all. Not mostly anyways.

I'm sure I wrote about this on our last anniversary but around the time Patrick and I were married I saw or maybe read a story about a couple that had been married for decades. On each of their anniversaries they had a picture taken as a couple and added it to a the wall of photos celebrating their time together year by year. I loved the idea of having a visual reminder of how much has changed, and stayed the same, since we were married (maybe I won't love the visual reminder when my face is sagging into my neck) but we've managed to keep the tradition running these few years.

Here's a timeline of our time as Mr. and Mrs.

And one of the whole family

It's funny because I don't feel very much older but comparing our wedding picture to this year's picture makes me feel tired.  Meanwhile minus hair Patrick looks pretty much the same. I have my theories as to why the "Mommy" ages three times as fast as the "Daddy" but I'll leave that post for another day. 

And finally....

Happy Anniversary Patrick. It's been wonderful being your bride. 

Anniversary Timeline

When Patrick and I were first married I read about a couple that had a wall in their house dedicated to photos of them taken on each of their wedding anniversaries. It was a fun way to document changes in their appearance as well as in their relationship. I was very taken by the idea and glad to have heard about it before we were missed our chance to start our wall.  It would be pretty bare if I started to put them up now but here are our "Anniversary Day" pictures so far. I can't wait to add many, many more!

[caption id="attachment_768" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Our First Anniversary"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_769" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Our Second Anniversary"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_770" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Our Third Anniversary"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_771" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Our Fourth Anniversary"][/caption]

Happy Anniversary Love

[caption id="attachment_757" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="My Husband, My Partner, My Friend"][/caption]

I had a hard start at this one and have probably started and restarted this a dozen times. I wanted to convey just how wonderful a husband you've been to me over the last four years without getting too sappy or cliche'. I even looked up anniversary poetry to see if someone else had the words I was searching for (and stopped when one poem I found rhymed love with dove).  So here goes my best:

Patrick

I love you even more today than the day we became husband and wife. You have been an amazing blessing in my life.  Thank you for letting me be right even when we both know I'm not (rarely), for calling me beautiful even when I'm wearing the ugly yoga pants (nightly) and for loving me even on the days I'm not very loveable (way too often).  I love you sweetheart. Happy Anniversary.

Happy Two Year Anniversary to Us!