Our Everyday Talk

More Anniversary Fun!

Yesterday was a full day, so Todd and I are going to celebrate our anniversary this weekend and decided to do something fun and simple last night.   We made lasagna together when he got home from work.   We like cooking together.   Todd loves to cook, I enjoy cooking but love cooking with Todd.   For dessert we made chocolate brownies with a white chocolate/cream cheese/whipped cream topping.  YUMMY!   While we cooked, the kids set the table.   They came up with the idea that they would eat out on the porch so we could have dinner by ourselves.   They set our table with special plates, candles, and Hannah showed her artsy side by including spinach leaves and grapes in her candle centerpiece arrangement.   Then they left us alone, “to look at each other” as Noah put it.

Here are just a few of the pictures that the kids and I looked through while I told them stories about our wedding.   Look at all that big hair!

My bridal shower at Jody’s apartment with Lori and Jen

I love this picture of my sister, Maria, and my sister-in-law, Jen, as they open their gifts from us at our rehearsal dinner.   So silly!

 

Jody and her adorable daughter, Jonnay.

Hannah saw this picture of my cousin, Carol, and her tough looking husband, Bob, and asked, “Did you have security guards at your wedding?”  (hee …hee…hee)

Us showing up at the Pirates Cover for dinner.   My kids all remember watching the video of this scene last year on our anniversary, and said, “Oh . . . yeah, with Aunt Jennifer screaming in the background!”   Yep, all you hear during this portion of the video is my brother honking his horn, and my sister-in-law hoopin’ and hollerin’ really loud for a really long time. (hee …hee…hee)

My gang of High School friends.   Lori, Jody, me, Mary, Judi, and Julie.   Judi passed away just 3 years later, but I still keep in touch with the rest of them and we all get together at least once a year.

My Grandpa and me

 

Our wedding cake.   Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.  Yum.

Our decked out car.

Todd and I dancing to “Always” by Atlantic Starr.

 “Ooh, you're like the sun
Chasing all the rain away
When you come around
You bring brighter days

You're the perfect one
For me, and you forever will be
And I will love you so for, always
Come with me my sweet
Let's go make a family
And they will bring us joy for always
Oh boy I love you so
Can't find enough ways to let you know
But you can be sure I'm yours, for always!”

                              from Always by Atlantic Starr

It's been 20 years!

Today is our 20th wedding anniversary.   My day started with a good-bye kiss from my sweetie, as he was off to work.  I laid in bed a few minutes, until I heard the kids whispering in the kitchen.   As I came out into the hall, Noah met me and pushed coaxed me back into my room.   A couple minutes later they appeared with a breakfast tray covered with home made cards and gifts.   Hannah had made me a necklace and matching pair of earrings.   Jewelry making is a huge hobby of hers.   The boys made us coupon books full of coupons for a variety of chores.    The kids brought me our two wedding albums and I walked through the album telling them the stories of our engagement and wedding.

And then I heard it.   I had anticipated that this was going to come up today, I knew it would.   “You’re finally old!”   I don’t remember which one said it, but as soon as he or she did, the others all nodded and agreed.   It might sound like an odd greeting on your anniversary, but I’m just happy that it wasn’t the first word of greeting from each one of them this morning.

Somehow, I don’t remember how, but about this time two years ago, I made a casual remark that I had always considered people being married 20 years to be “old” but now that we were getting close to 20 years my perspective had changed.   So for the last 2 years whenever the topic of age has come up, my kids have teased me, “You’re not old mom, you still have fill in the blank for how many more months until you are old.”   Filling in the blank with the number until our 20th wedding anniversary.   Even yesterday Todd asked me, “Are you ready to be 'old' together tomorrow?”

So here it is, the day that I become old. (LOL)   Let’s take a little stroll down memory lane in pictures.

Todd and I met in college at the Univ. of MN.   This is a picture of us in my apartment on the night of the Spring Formal.

Our wedding day.

Our honeymoon

 

At Todd’s brother’s wedding, we’ve been married almost 3 years.

 

Married 5 years with our first 2 “kids”, “Choli” and “Kam.”   (Just as a funny side note, each of these dogs weighed over 100 lbs.   Our 13 and 11 year old sons don’t weigh anywhere close to that.)

A year later with our 3rd “kid”, Jasmine, and pregnant with Noah.

 

Married 6 1/2 years with 3 week old Noah (and Kam and Jasmine, Choli couldn’t fit.)

 

Married 8 years and pregnant with J.D.  (We still have all 3 dogs, but have decided pictures with dogs are just too much work.)

 

Married 12 years and very pregnant with Hannah

 

Married 14 years

 

Married 17 years

 

Married 20 years

 

There you have it 20 years in 12 photos.

And Todd tells me, “Being ‘old’ isn’t so bad when you’ve got good company.”