Today is my 11th wedding anniversary.

Usually, our anniversary gets postponed and overlooked. We exchange cards and kisses. Life happens, and life takes priority over anniversaries. I don't mind, really. This year, we may go out, but I'm not sure. We are still waiting to get our house, and waiting to get our first paycheck.

This is a typical scenario. We haven't had many "standard" anniversaries. That suits me fine, though. I'm not an extravagant sort of girl...I'd rather have a new set of silverware, with enough salad forks for our family of nine, than a dozen roses delivered. (Not that I don't love flowers, I'm just cheap cheap cheap all the way down to my toenails.)

But you know what? You don't need flowers and wine once a year to make a great marriage. A great marriage is made by husband and wife giving 100%.

Every morning, when husband dear gets out of bed at 4:30 am to go work in the heat? That's his gift to me. When he goes to Mass, to help with the children, even though he's not Catholic and hate liturgical churches? A gift to me. Moving all of the furniture by himself (we've moved almost 20 times in 11 years. Yes, really.) so we can have a better life? A gift to me. When he eats lentils and rice, even though he's a steak kind of guy? A gift to me.

Because it's my blog, and I'll bore you if I want to, here's a rundown of our Anniversary History!

Last year, we had to move, and Baby X, 7 weeks old, had just been released from the hospital with no answers or diagnosis.

2006 - husband dear was 1800 miles away on the East coast. I had quit my job a week before. Mr R had problems at school and I pulled him out. Single mother with 6 children, including an infant and an unstable special needs kid? Not so good of an anniversary.

2005 - Newly pregnant with Miss C. Good anniversary. The temp job had turned into a full time position with benefits.

2004 - I was working two jobs (60 hours a week). Miss V was three months old. I worked as a temp from 7-1:30, drove home, nursed the baby, and then worked as a auto glass dispatcher from 2-7.

2003 - Husband dear's mother was dying in the hospital

2002 - We lived in a horrible little house in WY. I was pregnant with Mr S. We got the worst stomach flu I have ever had, and had to be hospitalized. Husband dear was so sick he couldn't move, so a friend of his brothers drove me 45 minutes to the hospital. Vomiting in a stranger's car? Not a good anniversary.

2001 - We took our honeymoon, a weekend in Green Mountain Falls, CO! Yes, we had three children and it was our fourth anniversary. I am a champion procrastinator!

2000- I don't remember any catastrophes or disasters. It was most likely a good anniversary!

1999 - I was on bedrest for Mr P, and just slightly bitter that I had to miss my sister's wedding.

1998 - Labor started for Mr R, 6 weeks early. He wasn't actually born until the 26th... do the math. Not a good anniversary.

1997 - Got married at the Denver courthouse. Moved to TX the next day.

Here's what I was thinking about last year on our tenth anniversary.

Labels: Family Life