Look at the sun beaming off that beautiful head. What a keeper.
(Photo cred to the beautiful Hannah Kurtz)
Tomorrow is my fourth wedding anniversary. When I think about all of our experiences: trips, moves, jobs, fights, etc., I feel like we’ve been married for ten years. And then I look at photos from that day and it feels like it was only a month ago.
We’re not going to be together this year as I am spending this week in Pennsylvania, but I’m thinking about him lots and feeling very grateful for our four years together. Even from afar, I know some things about anniversaries:
1. They should be celebrated. I know we’re only four years in and we don’t have things like children or pets or really any responsibilities, but it’s hard to fathom being like those couples who forget their anniversary. I hope at 44 years, I still get a call or a pinch on the butt in the morning.
2. I think one year is paper, two is maybe cotton, three is leather. I only know this because my mother-in-law always gets us a goodie-bag of appropriate gifts. I think four is gold, yes? Can’t wait for this year’s goodie-bag.
3. For our anniversary every year, we pick a different U.S. city to visit that we haven’t been to together. For the big ones (5, 10, 15), we wanted to do something international. I’m still trying to sell Travis on a month-long European food tour next year.
4. Anniversaries make room for sentiment. It’s an excellent day to reflect and be a little nostalgic as well as look forward to see what you can do better as a couple. It’s also a good time to talk about how the chores can be evened out.
5. I’m big on gifts in general, but I don’t think they are necessary at anniversaries. If we’re talking love languages, quality time is about as low on my list as it could possibly get. But anniversaries are about time together. And if I’ve learned anything, carving out time for one another means everything. Well, it means everything if that time includes food. Food with chocolate at the end.
6. I think that at some point on an anniversary, there should be a re-enactment. I don’t remember much about my wedding day because I was busy talking to 250 people. But I spent a lot of money on that dress and I’m never going to wear it again. I say at 10 years, there should be another wedding. This time with the people you’ve met since you got married that didn’t get to go to the first one. And he wears a suit, I put on fragments of the dress that no longer fits, and it’s BYO everything. I’m not paying for your food again people.
7. To my wonderful Travis, I don’t know that I would have made it to four years with anyone else. Seriously, I’m a lot. And you’re so gracious with me. Thank you for giving me the best life ever (I mean it, you really have) and I hope you always feel appreciated by me. Can’t wait for all of our upcoming adventures and I’m even more excited for the everyday life we have ahead of us.