Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Lucky Number 13

Notice anything in my sidebar? *wink wink* Check out the "about me" part of my profile... one tiny detail has changed. See it??!!
Yup, no more dozen.
We're up one... to lucky number 13.
When i married Neil, i can't say that i ever wondered what our future 13 years from that date would look like.
i was obsessed with our present. Being a new wife, momma - starting my new career, seemed to be the end... "and they lived happily ever after..."
Maybe i sorta figured i'd always have my teenager husband with his ribs sticking out...
i didn't really picture him with little greys starting to peek through - & his hands sprinkled with scars from working hard - & teeny laugh lines starting to form around his eyes.
i didn't know he would eventually trade his beloved work clothes for dress shirts.
i didn't know he would trade hours, months, years of hard work for a confident love of his job & his ability to do it well.
i didn't know he would remain so devilishly handsome throughout the next 13 years - & that i'd maybe even think he was more dapper than ever in the spring of '09. *hehe*
i probably believed that *this* was as deep as love can get.
His hazel eyes would lock on mine & i'd get that feeling - deep in my stomach - that he loved me... & that there was no more perfect place in this world than in his presence.
But now, 13 years have passed.
Would you believe me if i said that he still makes my stomach turn upside down when he enters a room?
Joy, tension, laughter, reconciliation, moments of tenderness, grief, humour, silence, sorrow, turbulance, tears, racket, kindness, protection - these things have all been a part of our last 13 years.
& oh, the love that has grown from them. The stretching without tearing - the bending without breaking - the sacrifice without bitterness.
o the love.
The shared memories make us stronger.
We were talking this morning about our wedding day & Neil said, 'i can hardly remember back that far...' & i found that it was true for me too... Seems so long ago all of a sudden. So in honour of our anniversary & the fact that neither one of us can remember what we did last week let alone 13 years ago, i give you:

13 recent small sweetnesses for 13 years of bliss -

* Strawberries & cream in bed - Gage woke up & stole most of them... but that just adds to the sweetness - teeny birdie with sweet open mouth...
* Flowers on my kitchen counter this morning.
* An invitation to 'come be with me' in the office...
* Rollerblading on Sunday afternoon... (in case you're wondering about my scabbed elbow & bruised hand... hehe)
* Coffee brewed this morning
* Supper plans tonight
* our famously short emails: paige: i.love.you. neil: and me you.
* He kept trying to hold my hand on Sunday.
* i let him.
* He only made fun of me once when i ate a whole bunch of jalopenos & made myself sick this week.
* He got his haircut for our date tonight.
* i gave him a haircut.
* He told me he loves my love of work. 'S a funny compliment - but it's so Neil.
& so, at this moment - 13 years in - (i joked to my sister that we're at our 'half marathon' mark). i am so grateful for my good man - this sweet marriage - this beautiful family.
What a gift.

5 comments:

Jen said...

Happy wedded bliss....still!
I like that you had 'racket' in your list of things in the past 13 years - hahaha
You should post a pic of your wedding...I love your flowery hair.
Sweet post. Happy Anniversary again!

Melissa said...

That is one of the sweetest posts of wedded bliss I have ever read.

What WOULD Neil say if he knew that all you did lately was blog about him? :) Secretly, I think he would love it.

Luke Holzmann said...

Happy Anniversary!

~Luke

Mindy said...

Happy Anniversary to the two of you! I loved this post...so very sweet. And I love that you love your life so much!

jessica jespersen said...

I didn't notice Gagey staring at you both in this pic ( that *i* took ;) giving myself props there...) until you posted it here. Such a cute little baldy head... ok ok i know i'm supposed to focus on your anniversary... happy anniversary... you have made some pretty sweet memories and welcomed some sweeping changes in these years. So thrilled that Gage was one of them. Love you guys.-j

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