Happy Anniversary to me!

John loves me. He really does. And he is smooth. So smooth. He always writes me theses awesome little poems that make me laugh and cry and cry while I laugh. He is so damn good at it. He just knows me so well and he LOVES me. Sometimes I am so blown away by the way he loves me.

I wasn't expecting much (much more I should say) for our anniversary, after the night away and all. But of course, he got me a little something. First he printed 4 big pictures, framed them, and even hung them (nicely) in the kids room. Four cute pictures of the kids to cover up that big blank wall that has been staring at me and calling for me to decorate. That has been frustrating me to no end. The wall has been waiting to be rejuvenated and made pretty for some time now. And John worked his photo magic. I love that he completed the job. He didn't just print some pictures. He didn't just buy some frames. He completed the project. He really loves me! And I love it, I mean, him! I love him!

Even after a night away (he organized it all, orchestrated it if you will). He bought the Groupon so that we could go away without me worrying about how much we were spending. Our meals were even included! Soooo cool! Not just a night away, but a night away in a totally swanky place, on our budget, without breaking the bank! All without our kids! Perfect! OK, then add the pics on to that and I figured we were done, but nope! There was more. 

Yesterday morning, John handed me my card. I should have known there would be one, or at least a poem of some kind. At some point. Somewhere. The front of the card was enough. Really. Enough. Tears to my eyes.

My kids. All four babies. How much they look alike. How cute they all are. So sweet. The work John and I have been doing over the last 8 years. Our work. Our family. And then us. That little bit of us, right in the middle of all of it. Like a metaphor for our life. Those kids. They take up a lot of us. But there we are, right in the middle of them. Right in the middle of it all. Kissing! Loving! Pulling it all together to complete the picture, the family, the card.

Not bad for eight years!

And when I opened up the card, there they were with that caption underneath. There they were all grown up. Well mostly! Our work. Our kids. Our big kids! We have been busy! The card said And of course, a poem. This is what he said:

Eight years it has been

since we tied the knot.

Eight years & four kids?

Some would say that's a lot.

But I'll say it again

as I've said it before:

As each new year passes

I just love you more.

The diapers, the dishes,

the tears & the trials,

The loving, the laughter,

the snuggles, the smiles

The bad & the good,

For better & worse

I'm glad it's with you

through this life I traverse.

So here's to 8 more

and 8 more beyond those

and so on and so forth

until we decompose.

And on the back, one more picture of course. 

Te quiero, mi amor!

And I do and he does...quiero I mean; querer = to love. 

This was a good anniversary. Eight years have been good years. All of them with their ups and downs, but over all a lot of fun! Thanks for the well wishes we have already gotten. I feel very blessed to have this man in my life and to be his wife. I feel very blessed to have found each other and to have started on this journey together. 

Thank you John! Thank you for these crazy eight years. Thank you for loving me (in my good and my bad). Thank you for loving your kids the way you do. Thank you for being you and for supporting me. And thank you for this card. It is perfect. I love it. You are wonderful and amazing and have lots and lots rhymes in your cheesy lover boy brain. I like them. I love you!