Thankful!

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite time of year.  The fall air, the four day weekend, the over indulgence of food and drink, the chaos, and the lack of religious overtone makes it a near perfect holiday.  

This years thanksgiving was no different.   It began with a home cooked family breakfast around the kitchen table that in addition to eggs and bacon and an ample serving of grateful remarks, a huge dose of laughs, and a morning music provided by Turner!  It was exactly the weekend brunch I dreamed about having.

We had a weekend guest of Aunt Bonnie, whose presence is always filled with laughter, and as a result had a turnstile of visitors, which was so nice.  We also spent the day on Friday in the Poconos with much of my extended family and it was so wonderful being wth everyone, near and far, on a non-religious occasion.  All the kids, and adults too, loved Boulder Field, being together, and our "Thanksgiving Dinner part 2" with the Levin's was really wonderful!

 


The holiday is also, not by coincidence, the weekend of our wedding anniversary.  

My wedding was my most favorite day of my life.  On Thanksgiving eve, and the biggest party night of the year, all of our closest family and friends were with us, making us ever so thankful.

The party was great, the room was beautiful, the view was perfect, and our future was bright.  Looking into the eyes of my beloved and vowing forever was the easiest decision I had ever made in my life.

This year we celebrated our 8th year of marriage.  8 has always been my lucky number.   With the way my luck has been this past year.....I hope my favorite number proves its worth in the next 12 months.  

As I celebrate this day with Todd I reflect on our beginnings, our courtship, our honeymoon years, our life.  I reflect on all that was, all that is, and wonder all that will be.

You see marriage is a lot of wonderful things.  Most of which I wouldn't change.  The give and take, the compromise, the arguments, the teamwork are all a part of love and marriage.  But, I wouldn't say marriage is easy.   Not all of the time.

When things are good in life, the pockets are deep, everyone is healthy, the kids are behaving, the bills aren't piled high, sure, that is when marriage is easy.  That is when it is easy to hold your partner's hand and proclaim "I love you and this life that we built!"

But, what about when things are tough?  When you're sick and tired and cranky?  When your kids are all that and more?  When money is tight?  When tension is high, as is stress?  When nearly every stroke of bad luck possible has hit you?  That is the true test of a love.   Can you still hear the laughter?  Do you still get chilled by his touch?  Do you still look into his eyes and know, that through it all, you chose right back then, you'd still make the same choice today?

I have never doubted my marriage.  I have never doubted the man Todd is.   I have never doubted our love.  But, as I think about our anniversary, and look back on our "we've had better" year, I am even more sure than ever before.   Holding Todd's hand through the good is rewarding, holding it through the bad is comforting.  Sometimes life sucks, but it might as well suck with the people you love!

At our wedding

For the first time as husband and wife

Happy eight years, Todd.  Happy Thanksgiving, All.  

Fifth!

At our wedding, being introduced for the first time as husband and wife

A wedding day portrait

Today marks the five year anniversary of our wedding day!! Five in itself is special, but this year it is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving just as it was the night of our wedding, the biggest party night of the year. Yesterday, marked the eleven year anniversary of the day Todd and I started dating, significant for many reasons but mostly because without it we would have nothing to celebrate today.
I remember our wedding day as if it was yesterday. It was the most perfect day, everything went as planned, and is one of the best days of our lives. The memory of it still makes me smile, I imagine it always will.
Our marriage also makes me smile. I love being married and am amongst the fortunate. I married my true love and my best friend. We still know how to have a really good time together, and yet we can deal with all of life's responsibilities together, as a team.
Together we have begun building a life, and everyday we appreciate what we are building.
Things are different from when we met as young kids bouncing around the city. We live in the suburbs, have two homes, two kids and one on the way. We can't put ourselves first anymore, but we do often put each other first, as we should. We don't go out six nights a week anymore, and we don't vacation as much as we would like (particularly Todd.) We've traded those things in for something better, a family, and we would never trade in each other.
Our anniversary was supposed to be celebrated two ways: First, with a visit from our friends who we met on our honeymoon. They were honeymooning too and our friendship was inevitable We were going to get together for our joint fifth, with our kids who are all the same age. We were all looking forward to it. We were also supposed to go away for this celebratory anniversary, and do so with great friends. Unfortunately, circumstances with Zygie prevent us from enjoying these activities. Instead, we will celebrate with a nice dinner tonight, and a weekend in a hotel next weekend. Sure, it's not Jamaica, nor time with far away friends, and yes we are disappointed, but we will be celebrating our togetherness together, which is what matters most in the end. Frankly, there is nowhere else I need to be, than just with Todd.
Five years has passed quickly, sometimes it is hard to believe, but I have enjoyed every minute of this journey. I would do everything exactly the same to this point and I love trekking through time with Todd. Five is special indeed, but it is still just the beginning. Happy Anniversary Todd, I love you!