Monday, July 26, 2010

Crazy 8


My dearest husband,

Today we celebrate eight years of marriage -- when did we get so old? One day we were passing notes in 7th grade band class, and suddenly we are in our 30s with a real house and real kids like we are real grown ups. It makes me think back to...

...the first year, when I had just graduated and you were finishing your last semester of college. We lived in a 400 sq ft apartment in married housing on Michigan State's campus, and I got a temporary job at Bed Bath & Beyond. Life was simple, bills were small, and we were so happy to finally be reunited after spending four years apart during school.

...the second year, when we were living in St. Louis. We were both so busy working full time and attending graduate school in the evenings. Then we bought our first house and any last free minute was sucked up by replacing ugly green carpet, repainting neon yellow walls, and burning the hell out of the grass learning how to properly use lawn fertilizer.

...the third year, when we traveled to Ireland and decided to book through a tour company because were too busy to plan the trip ourselves. We ended up seeing the country with a bus load of retirees who hit the pubs in the evenings while we collapsed in exhaustion in our room. We may have looked like pansies, but I had an absolute blast with you.

...the fourth year, when we were finishing grad school and preparing to start a family. I was doing my practicum as a counselor with Washington University in St. Louis, and I worried I'd get morning sickness and have to bolt from a session to throw up in the bathroom. Nothing shows empathy and acceptance like some barf on a client's shoes. That fear, of course, never materialized.

...the fifth year, when we experienced the devastation of infertility. We endured what seemed like an endless barrage of tests and treatments, all ending up with Big Fat Negatives. The stress of this can push some couples apart, but it pulled us together. I was reminded why I married you, as you always remained concerned about the toll it was taking on me.

...the sixth year, when we finally saw that long-awaited positive home pregnancy test. I will never forget your reaction when I showed you the two lines. We went to Grand Cayman for our anniversary, our last trip taken as a couple. You were offered a job promotion if we relocated to Seattle, and I declared I would move there over my dead body.

...the seventh year, when we moved to Seattle. And only three months later, our precious baby Bean was born. What an adjustment! We thought we would never survive those first weeks. We feared that parenthood was beyond our capabilities, and worried that we would never see four hours of uninterrupted sleep again. Sadly, it turns out we were right about that last part. (And sometimes, even the first part.)

...the eighth year, when we got pregnant with the twins -- our IUI was on our last anniversary, in fact! We continued to enjoy Bean as he grew into toddlerhood, and we were assured to see that our missteps as parents haven't seemed to cause any irreparable damage (yet!). Then with three months of complete bedrest, you rose to the challenge of caring for me once again. It paid off with two gorgeous, enormous, and healthy twin boys.

This next year will be crazy, without a doubt. Truck loads of diapers, gallons of spit-up, and countless nighttime awakenings. But more importantly, big toddler hugs, baby coos and giggles, and with the help of my parents, a few stolen moments being the same young couple that nervously held hands during our first date to Homecoming in high school. You still smile at me as if I am the most beautiful girl you've ever seen, and it makes my heart flutter just like it did at 16.

I hope you enjoy the Chocolate Chili Cupcakes that I made for you today. (Bean "helped" make the batter, so not only did they take extra long to prepare, but they are baked with extra love.) The recipe calls for either ancho chili powder or chipotle chili powder, but I put in both because I know how much you love spice. Here's to keeping the spice in our life -- in our marriage -- forever!

My love always,

Sunny


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17 comments:

Kristina P. said...

Happy anniversary! Those cupcakes sound divine.

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

Happy Anniversary...
how sweet,
8 years,
cute boys.
lovely family,
lots of memories and smiles!

Jingle said...

http://jingleyanqiu.wordpress.com/2010/07/12/the-celebrate-blogger-of-june-awards-nomination-announcement/

please help vote:

humor
art/cartoon,
short stories,
or food/cooking,

you gain one vote when you vote for others...

u r nominated for humor

Jamie said...

Happy Anniversary!! :)

Allison said...

Happy Anniversary! What a touching post.

Lisa said...

awww, how sweet! congratulations on your 8th anniversary! :)

..al said...

Congratulations!!

Wishing you many blessings and a long, prosperity and love-filled journey ahead!

Erin said...

Aww, how sweet. Happy anniversary!

Mrs. Gamgee said...

What a lovely post! Happy anniversary!

~ Kristen said...

Congrats To You Both!!!!! Loved you post, so sweet. Here is to many many more years of togetherness!!

Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary!
And many, many more years filled with love and happiness!

Lisa said...

Sunny I think we have the same anniversary (-: Kent and I celebrated our 2nd Anniversary on 7/26 (-: Congrats

Aunt Becky said...

Beautiful! Happy, Happy Anniversary!

Jingle said...

have a fun day!

http://itistimetothinkformyself.blogspot.com/2010/07/pick-one-or-two-to-share-follow-rule-no.html

awards for you to take...
Happy Thursday!

Stef said...

this was a super cute, fun post! I found your blog on Kristen's blog roll and then thought "this blog looks like one I'll enjoy reading!" not even realizing yet that we actually know each other! As I began looking at your post (yes, I'm a closet blog lurker) I realized we met each other at Katie Bliss' house, during a playtime with the MOMS club. I remember meeting you out by the swings and being totally impressed that you had a little boy and TWIN babies and looked SO great :)

Anyway, nice to see you in the blog world :)

Chad and Gena said...

Happy Anniversary!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi--I found your blog on twinstuff and have been following your journey as I have a 3 1/2 year old boy and id twin boys that are 3 months. I have some suggestions on the sleep thing but they are rather lengthy so I think it would be best to email them to you. If you want, send me an email I can tell you what has made my life a little less insane (but I am NOT an expert by any means lol)! Your boys are adorable!! I wish I had the time and energy to blog like you do as in 10 years, this will be so much fun to look back at!! my email is sherrimjones@yahoo.com