anniversary

Wedding Day, 1997

I have known my husband since high school, 1986, so it seems like we have known each other forever sometimes. And I mean that in the best sense of forever. He has known me through a couple of decades of hair styles—from hot rollers to spritz to blowouts. That’s a long time ya’ll.

All kidding aside, I cannot imagine spending my life with anyone else.

Here are 14 things I love about my husband in honor of our 14th wedding anniversary today.

(With a little help on these from the girls…)

He is very handsome.

He works very hard.

He never gives up.

He has a great sense of humor.

He is very strong.

He loves to hike and be outdoors.

He is an amazing daddy to our dogs (oh and our human children, too).

He is an adventurous cook, while I am timid and resigned to actual recipes.

On that same note, he loves to make pizza with the girls (this one is straight from the 8-year-old).

He loves to travel.

He is very even-keeled (he puts up with me and my flighty bird nature.)

He makes great margaritas (OK this one is definitely from ME.)

HE IS WONDERFUL! (from the 6-year-old, who stressed the importance of all-caps.)

And, lastly, he is an old soul and a hopeless romantic.

I love you babe.

And next year?

The girls say we should go to the Bahamas and I am totally on board with that suggestion. Ahem.

Here’s to 14 more amazing years together.

Too Bad We Didn’t Register For Matching Ponchos And A Monogrammed Sump Pump

I was going to write about our wedding anniversary Monday, but then there was this little pesky incident called a natural disaster that hit Nashville.

How can you help?

Hands On Nashville is a full resource for volunteer opportunities.

Nashvillest.com has a comprehensive list of ways to help.

Apropos of Music City, Won’t be Shaken by No Storm is a great song you can download along with a high-res poster for $5, all proceeds going to flood relief.

Contribute $10 to the Nashville Area Red Cross by texting 90999 or donate by phone, 615-250-4300. You can also mail your donation to the Nashville Area Red Cross, 2201 Charlotte Avenue, Nashville, TN 37203.

Thirteen years ago this week the hubby and I were honeymooning in beautiful Key West, Florida.

Thankfully I did not scare him away with my OCD wedding registry angst or hours spent poring over bulky wedding invitation catalogs as if my very life and the sanctity of our marriage depended on what type stemware we should use for every day, versus formal entertaining, and whether or not we should have matching color coordinated wedding invitation envelopes. I do remember I let my hair down enough when we registered at Target to actually scan giant pool flotation noodles. That little moment of silliness is probably what saved our engagement because I was starting to ride the Bridezilla Express To Wedding Planning Hell. That and the fact that I didn’t have a nervous breakdown when it looked like it might rain on our outdoor, lakeside wedding, which might have had something to do with the wine I my best friend and I snuck into the bride’s dressing area.

When our girls someday get engaged I will tell them to NEVER for the love of God, no matter how much their inner Bridezilla gene kicks, drive their fiance insane with silly wedding details.

In fact, I’ll probably encourage them to have a small, intimate destination wedding at a Caribbean island, but to be sure to invite their wonderful, loving parents.

Because honestly some day they’ll look back at pictures from their special day and remember everything BUT what thread count sheets they registered for or how many place settings of Wedgwood china they received (whisper voice…Nantucket Basket, classic white bone china you can NEVER go wrong with).

They will remember why they got married in the first place.