Lucky Thirteen

Thirteen years ago I married the love of my life, three days after Christmas. Thirteen years, three moves, five jobs, two miscarriages, three children, seven or so insurance plans later, here we are. We have a tradition of going out to a French restaurant each year. We always try something unusual; we've had squab (pigeon), escargot, quail, and a few other interesting dishes. Somehow the French know how to take the most unappetizing food, wrap it in filo dough, drench it in a rich butter sauce and make it taste heavenly.

We always look back at our past year and set goals for the new one. It is a wonderful way to end the past year and helps us to focus on the things that really matter. Our conversation is varied; we talk about our aspirations for the following year, be it goals for school or household projects. We don't limit ourselves to practical things though. We've been known to talk about our dream of having a vacation home someday where we can spend extended time away with our children and grandchildren. We talk about our dream of having a house big enough to host our extended families for holidays; a guest room for those who travel. We talk of more kids, about homeschooling, about Steve's business. Though the topics are many, they always seem to have a common thread. Family. Hospitality. Reaching out to others. Teaching our kids. Passing on the faith to our children.

This year we missed our dinner out for the first time. Steve was sick the day before our anniversary and was just too tired to go out. He was too tired even to dream. So we missed our tradition. I really missed it. I spent the day cleaning out the boys room in anticipation of painting, finally after 3 years of living here. Cleaning the room of two pack rats was not exactly the most romantic way to spend our anniversary, but it had to be done. The day was not as I had envisioned it, but I realized that here in our home, in the midst of sickness and messy rooms, I was living out my marriage vows. In sickness and in health. In good times and in bad.

Our dinner will come. We'll talk about what's been the toughest year we've had thus far. We'll dream that business will pick up and that we'll be able to replace the hot water heater before it goes. I anticipate that we'll be talking about more practicals than last year, because right now that vacation home is just too difficult to imagine. We are just so grateful to have the home God has given us, even if it has no garage (who ever thought a garage would be a dream???) and even though the dishwasher is on it's last leg. I feel a little like George Bailey in 'It's a Wonderful Life' this year. We have a roof over our heads, three precious gifts from God and our faith. And isn't that what really matters? And maybe by the time we get out for a dinner to discuss it all, we'll have a newly painted room for the pack rats.

Happy Anniversary to the love of my life!