Happy Anniversary Post, Part II

Now that you know where Hunny and I started, I found a pretty amazing post (at the blog Simple Marriage.. I've only browsed around a little while, but I'm already a fan of this well-written and encouraging blog) talking about what the writer loves about being married. I thought I'd take his great list and tell you how Hunny fits that mold.

Companionship Hunny, I know you think B is my other half, and she is.. in so many ways. But the truth is so are you. I'm a triplet for a reason: I understand thirds!! :) You are just the perfect fit for me, and you are truly a perfect companion for me.
Love I can't say it any better than the original romantic: Song of Solomon 8:6 "Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away."
Laughter I've already said I love the sound of Hunny's laughter, but I also think the fact that we daily laugh WITH one another has been huge for us.
Connection You seem to have an uncanny ability to read my mind, and you and I have a connection that I've only ever had with one other person (B!).
Shared adventure Oh, boy! Have we ever been on an adventure called parenting! We've probably made more mistakes, laughed harder, and been comrades more in raising kids than any other aspect of our relationship.
Passion I love your passion, and the passion we share with one another. This is probably one of the areas that we show more of our differences in, and I think that adds such a fun element to who we are together.
Friendship Aside from B you are my best friend. I don't know anyone else as well as I know you, and I KNOW you know me better than anyone else.
Deep conversations AND Simple conversations (I combined these two from his list) I love that we talk. I love that when dating I noticed how we'd rather talk all night long than have it end on us. I love that we still talk into the night. I love that words are our way of communicating.
Hearing someone say “I love you” I love it when you tell me completely spontaneously that you love me. It's just a notch above hearing Bear say "Yuy you!"
Knowing the little quirks of another human being Umm, you have LOTS of quirks! I probably have more, though! :) I love your quirks. It makes me feel like I know you really well.
Co-parenting our children This one has been hit on sort of, but I never imagined that parenting could be as hard and beautiful as it is. I'm so grateful and blessed that you are the co-producer of our kids (because, goodness, we make some pretty ones!) and so thrilled that you get to share in all the not-so-fun things like nighttimes, early mornings, dirty diapers, and spit-up. But you also revel in the amazing things like playtime, naptime, and cuddletime.
Being authentic This is a phrase that is borderline too church for me, but I get it. Authenticity is really, really hard. It is a hard job to day in day out be real with a person, even if you share that space with them! However, it is precisely this level of willingness to bare ourselves to each other that allows trust and love to deepen.
All the inside jokes between us This is an easy one. But if I share them here, then they won't just be between us anymore!! Again, it just speaks to our ease with one another and a level of awareness and intimacy that can be playful.
Memories of past experiences together Well, as you know, this is one of my favorite past-times with you. I love remembering things we did when we dated and pre-kids. I love remembering trips we've taken, conversations we've had, and little unimportant details. (The funny thing is, you seem to think my memory is highly selective!!)
Watching football together, or any sports for that matter I actually really love this one. I never thought I'd enjoy watching sports, but your passion and enthusiasm were addicting, and now I'm proud to join the ranks of the Hogs and Gunners, or the Black Cats :)
Someone to challenge me to be a better woman And you do challenge me.. to be a better mommy, better wife, and better partner.
Good make out sessions To keep this PG I'll just leave it at that.


I edited the list to suit my needs, and there is a lot more I could probably say, but suffice it to say I love you, and Happy Anniversary!!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Happy Anniversary Post, Part I

Our anniversary isn't until tomorrow, but I found something neat that I wanted to do for that, but still wanted to share how Hunny and I met for those of you who don't already know! I still think it's a great story!!
In summer of 2004 I had just moved back to Memphis after a few years in Atlanta, and I was swearing off men, trying to figure out my place in my old group of girlfriends, and in a different spiritual place as I was truly branching out on my own after living within the shelter of my spiritual mom. I had originally planned to join the Air Force as a last-resort attempt to get out of Atlanta but not move back home, but things didn't work out (long story), and so Memphis it was. I got a job with The Ugly Mug, a coffee shop I'd volunteered for in college. This was a little different, though, because they had set up a kiosk at the FedEx Forum downtown as opposed to a little coffee shop in midtown. The Mug also had begun handling catering orders, and my manager N would often do those. One evening I got a call saying that I should not go downtown but instead "out east" to the Agricenter for a catering job--I was excited because instead of waking up at 5, I could sleep in til 7! Or so I thought... At 3:30 that morning I got a knock on my door and two uniformed police officers were at the door asking if I owned a "___" vehicle, to which I warily answered "yes." (Y'all probably already know where this is headed, eh?) Sure enough, my car had been broken into, glass shattered all over the street and my car seat. The crazy thing, though, is I wasn't mad. At all. You'd have to really know me to know why that is so weird, but I attribute it all to a conversation I'd had with God the night before, and my attitude that morning was "bring it on!" I will admit to being a little uncomfortable when one of the cops hands me a bag I usually kept in my glove compartment for my perusal to see if anything was missing from it. The remaining items: sanitary napkins in all their bright pink glory and a tube of chapstick. On my way to work later that morning I was distracted with how I was going to get all the glass out of my butt car seat and how much it would cost to replace, and by the way, how did one go about finding this information out without a brother, father, or boyfriend on hand? Upon my arrival at the Agricenter I looked for the booth I was supposed to be working and my boss who was supposed to show me how to use the portable machines, and it began to rain. Again, I didn't get mad, I just laughed! I searched everywhere for something I could use to block my window, and finally just asked a random guy if he had any trash bags I could put in my window. This man helps me and even tapes it all up, and we discover that he worked for the company that had hired my company for catering! His name was Johnny. As I'm making coffee for the various guests at the trade show, in walks Hunny (although he wasn't yet Hunny!). We meet and greet one another, and ... I kid you not... I was immediately drawn to the way he looked at me... or in me, rather... he looked right into my eyes and it was like he knew me. At one point, Johnny asked why I had a UPC code on my wrist (click here for a visual), and Hunny immediately piped up, "That's not a UPC code; it's Hebrew." I was duly impressed. After that we pretty much didn't stop talking and I went home telling everyone I'd met my future husband. Of course, while at the trade show, I let them know that I worked downtown at the FedEx Forum. Did I mention that Johnny and Hunny's company cleaned the floors at said FedEx Forum and just happened to find time in their busy day the next day to see me? And I told them that while it had continued to rain, my car got wetter and wetter and stinkier and stinkier, and since they cleaned floors, could they by chance clean car carpets/upholstery too? Sure! So I visited their office, Hunny made sure the guys did a great job cleaning my car while I sat in his office and knit as we talked and talked and talked.
We began exchanging emails and it was over. Hunny and I have so much in common and are cut from the same cloth. I just love how ordained everything was and how we met not on our own terms at all.
I'm so glad I met you, Hunny, and that you asked me to marry you! It's been a whirlwind at times, but I've loved every step of the way!

Date night, sort of?

I had a late night with Hunny last night, and it was one of those rare moments lately where it felt like "old times." I hate to use that expression, but, you know what I mean, those moments before sleepless nights, before your body belonged to little hands, before being at the beck and call of your children's cries. Those are by no means absent from our home, and I'm glad, but last night was the first time since Bunkin was born that I got a good peek into our dating days. And it was lovely. We sat on the couch, just snuggling, and talking, and laughing. Both of the boys were in bed, and it was really quiet in the house, and the TV was on mute, and I harassed Hunny by singing a line from a silly song whenever he mentioned a word (I have this strange English-degree obsession with word associations) that brought to mind a lyric. Mind you, I'm no lyric-memorizing master; that's Hunny's particular talent. Which made for a very funny "game"- me trying to think of a word to stump him, and him trying to think of a word so obscure I couldn't sing a horrible 60's song.
Some examples-
Me: "Finger"
Hunny: [Armageddon It by Def Leppard] "I've got an itchy finger following me" (see what I'm married to? a TRUE product of the 80's)

Hunny: "Girl"
Me: Neil Diamond "girl, you'll be a woman soon" (love me some Neil)

Anyway, it was lovely to sit and snuggle and share (three S's--I'm alliterating!) as a break right before Hunny has to go out of town for a longer than normal work week, and I'm glad Hunny still humors me by playing my silly games. True love!