7 Years

This weekend marks my 7th year of being married to my very best friend.

It's kind of crazy to think about all we've gone through and know that there is so so much more ahead.

Good times. Bad times. Laughing. Crying. Dancing. Eating. Traveling. Learning.

This weekend was one of our best anniversaries yet and we didn't really do anything special. We just connected with each other and had a mini-adventure here in the Dallas area. We didn't go to a fancy restaurant or stay at a cute bed and breakfast. There were no candles or roses or chocolates.

Instead we went to a new part of town and ate at a restaurant we'd never been to and talked and laughed out on the patio and enjoyed the beautiful weather. It was 80ish with low humidity and a strong breeze that felt wonderful. The kind of weather that makes your soul feel alive and reconnect with that little kid that used to run in the sprinklers.

We didn't talk about anything special or lovey dovey. It was just nice to be together without any sort of distractions. After lunch we walked around this funky little arts district holding hands and popping in and out of the funky little art shops.

There was a really cool bookstore that had a great selection of books and a warm inviting atmosphere. I fell in love with all of their beautiful children's books and wished I had a $1,000 to buy them all. There is something so wonderful about kids books and I get lost in their illustrations and whimsicality. Kevin found a cool book about a gigantic sailboat and it made us remember how someday we'd like to sail around the San Juan islands. Someday!

Before the bookstore was this absolutely amazing little shop. It was a place that sold the work of many different artists. Most of them were WAY off the beaten path and nowhere near mainstream. We were there for probably 45 minutes looking at all of the crazy and wonderful things that came out of someone's imagination.

I'm quite certain that we missed much of the symbolism that was woven into the mixed media pieces but they were just so fun to look at that we didn't really care that we had no idea what they meant. I, of course, forgot to take pictures of those because was too distracted by how cool they were.

Some of our very favorites were quite creepy and cute at the same time. I couldn't stop looking at them even though I very much wanted to. We think they were made up of at least 2-3 different types of animal bones.



One of our favorite pieces and one that we both agreed that if we'd had an extra $1,200 laying around we would have seriously considered purchasing was this guy.



A sea turtle made out of some sort of industrial metal with seaweed tealight holders made from rebar. It was simple and beautiful and I loved it. Alas, I don't see us ever being comfortable spending that much money on an art piece but I sure wish we could!

Once Kevin had let me explore the shops to my heart's content we headed off to see the movie UP.

HOLY CRAP.

It was such a great movie. It was kind of a perfect anniversary movie as its about the epic love of a man and wife. After they have lived a long and simple but loving life the wife dies leaving her husband feeling the need to live the adventure that they'd always talked about but never been able to do.

I'm not ashamed to say that I cried at least 3 times. I think Kevin's sleeve was a bit damp by the end of the movie.

Not only was the storyline AWESOME, the entire movie was total eye candy. There was one scene that I found completely breathtaking (when the hundreds of balloons that he's tied to his house to carry him to South America are released from their covering and bump bump bump their way into each other and up into the sky).

We fell in love with all of the characters from Doug the talking golden retriever to Kevin the gigantic FEMALE bird that they are trying to save. And the relationship between the old man and the little boy that inadvertently comes along for the ride is just so sweet and fun to watch unfold. This movie is definitely in my top 10 movies of all time.

Ok. So basically what I'm saying is GO SEE IT! Right away, please.

After the movie we walked over and grabbed some bubble tea and headed home to work on the presents we were making for each other. We decided this year we would make each other something. It didn't have to be expensive or anything extravagant, just something meaningful and from the heart. And being the procrastinators that we both are, we of course, waited until the night before our anniversary to start working on them.

I took a box I'd been saving for a special something or other and figured that now was its time. I took my wood burner and burned the words "for always" into the top and then did a watercolor wash in blues and greens. I went around the house and gathered little mementos of our life together and put them in the box symbolizing the adventures we've had and the ones that are to come. I didn't realize that it had been years since Kevin had seen some of them so it was super awesome to see his face when he opened the box this morning.

Kevin put together a playlist of love songs that expressed the way he felt for me along with the lyrics to each song and a little note about why he picked each one. Let's just say I was glad I hadn't put my makeup on yet as the tears flowed freely and often.

All in all this weekend has been a really great time of reconnecting and reminiscing and remembering why we love each other and the things that have brought us this far. I feel so badly for people who don't "get" marriage and feel that it's an antiquated institution. They are missing out on one of the most amazing experiences. To be truly loved and known by someone with the promise that no matter how ugly or how hard life gets they will be there is the greatest comfort and joy that could be had.

Kevin, I love you with all my heart and am so glad that you are my partner in this great and crazy adventure. Thank you for the 7 best years of my life.