Decade

So, Wednesday was Michael's and my tenth anniversary.

Seriously, that's like seventy Hollywood years! How crazy is that?? :P

Mom came up and we took the kids to McDonald's. And I picked up the kids' immunization records (for registering for KINDERGARTEN) and volunteered at the library ... and I picked up the book I had accidentally turned in THERE and a note attesting that I DID turn it in before its due date ... then took THOSE over to the local library where my fine was waived. ^_^

And Michael was home early ... so we left the kiddos with Mom (who fed them dinner and got them in bed) and had ourselves a romantic date night.

Me: Wow, people are going to be all, "What did you do for your tenth anniversary?" And we'll be all, "Oh, we walked around the mall, bought washcloths, and went out to dinner."
Michael: OR "we spent time together."

Yeah, he says that he has no heart ... but then he says stuff like that. ^_^

We also drove around and looked at houses on the market. Just to keep our options open.
And we went to dinner at Carino's. We splurged a bit. We got the Italian nachos, Italian sodas (Michael had Cherry-Vanilla. I opted for Peach-Raspberry. Yum!). Michael was happy with the Five Meat Tuscany Pasta. I decided to try something new. I got the Chicken Picatta (fettuccine and chicken with artichoke hearts, mushrooms, and capers in a lemon basil sauce) ...Yeah, I didn't eat a whole lot of it. I would have been happier with the Rosemary Chicken or something in a marinara sauce.
But I figured that, hey, we've been married for ten years. I'll celebrate and be adventurous.
And we ordered a mini turtle cheesecake for dessert. SO GOOD.

Then we went back to the mall and picked up the last two Pirates of the Caribbean movies (on a good sale. $17 for them both), then drove over to the next town to visit the places in our history:

• First date - Where we saw "Galaxy Quest" back in April 2000 ... now a parking lot for a bank.
• First impression of me - The Institute Building (a crazy game of Wink'Em.)
• First kiss - A friend's carport
• First "I love you"s - A local school's playground (Also where our wedding invite pictures were taken. It's since been completely redone.)
• Our first apartment together - Where we spent the first half (thus far) of our marriage together and became college graduates and parents. ... We joke that we'll drive by there in another ten years and they still won't have painted. (It was dark, so it's hard to tell if they did. The colors are still the same.)

We just drove by these places. After walking around the mall for so long, our feet HURT.

Then we went back home, chatted with Mom, and we all went to bed. And Michael and I FELL ASLEEP, we were both exhausted. Heh.
I apologized in the morning ... and he told me he was just as exhausted. So, phew! I didn't have to feel guilty.

But it was a nice way to celebrate our decade of being husband and wife. The first of many, many decades more to come.
At the same time, though it feels like we've been together since FOREVER ago, it's hard to believe that it's been TEN YEARS.
This means that I've been married for one-third of my life!
It seems kinda crazy! Ten years? That's a LONG TIME!
But, hey, the math doesn't lie. We've made it.

And we keep forbidding each other to die. Because we LIKE each other.
And we do NOT want to go back to the dating pool. Oh HECK no.

Michael appreciates that I get his sense of humor.
And I'm grateful that he understands me, makes me laugh, and keeps me calm.

I know that it's all cliché to say that I'm married to my best friend.
That doesn't change that it's true. (And I still have girl besties, too.)
I have a husband and friend that loves, trusts, amuses, and inspires me.
It's pretty awesome.

I hope that everyone can be so happy.  

It also made me laugh that, last weekend, my aunt remarked that Michael and I don't fight or yell at each other all the time. What's wrong with us? Ha ha ha. (It was facetious.)
But she was impressed with our marriage. Which is quite sweet of her.

Yes, I'll get frustrated (with situations) and snap at him. And he forgives me.
He's better than I deserve. I'm fully aware. ... and that makes me want to step it up.

Speaking of, I should clean up the house a bit, get dinner started, and finish that dang RS lesson for Sunday (give me strength).

Still, if you're married, I hope you and your spouse are as content as Michael and I are.
If you're single, I hope that you find the spouse that will make you feel complete.

You deserve it. And so does your spouse. ^_^ I hope you find/have found it, too.