Happy Thirteenth

Today marks the thirteenth anniversary of our wedding. Thirteen years of hopes and dreams, trials and tribulations, health and sickness, boon and misfortune. And through it all, we have had each other.

Today is what I will call ideal for the thirteenth wedding anniversary. You save the big events for the tenth, twenty-fifth, etc. The thirteenth should be more about your life together, and celebrating the every day success.

We started the morning late. The kids were supposed to be at Vacation Bible School by 9:00. I finally started waking everyone up at 7:30. We made it in time by some sort of miracle.

When your son is a late-talker, every situation in which you will leave him with others is a reason for trepedation. Will he be alright? Will he act okay? Will he be able to communicate his needs, and will they be able to communicate expectations? At a certain point, though, you have to move beyond the fears. Sending him off to VBS is one of these steps for us.

With the kids gone until 11:15, we head out to breakfast. It isn't glamorous, but I recommend the place that I went on the morning of our wedding, and where we would return for dinner that night in our mad rush to the airport. Does anyone remember?

Anyway, breakfast was spent in remembrances. Stories of the wedding, our first apartment, and wedding preparations. We talked. We remembered the good, the bad, and the wet.

After breakfast, it was off to some stores for some minor errand running. Again, time spent as a couple looking at potential purchases without potty breaks or random disappearances. We actually browsed, which means that we read the product descriptions instead of frantically grabbing items off shelves. We played "what-if" and analyzed options.

It was almost 11:15, and it was time for us to be a family unit again. The stress sets in, "How do you think he did?" We drive to pick up the kids.

Walking into the church, we are greeted by a good friend who is working this VBS session. The first thing out of her mouth? "He did great!" Glowing like parents who knew they had outstanding children, we recover our pair and drive for home. We even loaded up the CD of VBS music and listened to piping voices from the back seat.

Mundane time follows. While I feed the hungry mouths, my better half does yard work. We relax, reset from the morning, and prepare for the afternoon.

It's 2:00, and it's time for the next stage. We head to a local nature trail to investigate northwest plant life, watch for beavers (saw none), and marvel over a tree with massively exposed roots. We tromp, walk, meander, and explore. We breathe the fresh air, and listen to the trees.

All-to-soon, it's time to drop back into city life. We drive out of sweet leaf air and sighing branches into smog and traffic noise. This is where we live.

At home, we clean up a bit in preparation for dinner. The kids snack, so as to not want dinner later. Such is the frustration of parenthood. "Do we feed them now, or do we deal with the potential of overly hungry grumpiness?"

Next, it's dinner. A local family-friendly Italian restaurant. Not marvelous food, not expensive prices, not an incredible wine list, not fancy enough that our some-times-over-active boy will bring the glowers of fellow patrons and kitchen-corner table assignments from the staff.

Instead, we are treated to outtdoor seating (a marvel in Western Washington), great service, and animated family-table conversation. Due to pre-thinking on my wife's behalf, we got a seventy dollar meal (with wine) for $36 (including tip and tax). Score!

Then it's home again for a nice walk around the neighborhood. The boy is learning to ride his tricycle, and is actually showing promise. The daughter shows dedication to exercise by doubling her walk (once on a scooter, once in a run with me.)

And now, I write while she waters the lawn. The kids are winding down by playing with friends. We all feel the gratitude and happiness of a solid day of togetherness.

This is my idea of starting a thirteenth year of marriage off right.