Happy Anniversary

 

Four years ago Dan and I got married.  I went from being a (somewhat nervous) single woman to being a wife.  A year and (almost) a half later, we had Emily, and I became a mother.  Before Emily was born, Dan was nervous about being a dad.  I was sure he would be a great one, and he was.  What I didn't know is how much I would learn from him, about being myself, and having fun.

And then came Tabitha, a couple years after Emily.  She is a peaceful baby.  She doesn't demand much, and even when she does, she's willing to wait (well, at least for a while).  She's another one with quiet strength, patience, and peace.  Which I need in my life, since I seem to still be a somewhat nervous individual (although, not nearly as much as before Dan).

I am so blessed to have them all in my life.  When we were dating, Dan used to sing me the Barney song "I love you," only he would switch the words to "I love you, you love me, someday we'll be a family."

And we are.  And it is wonderful.

Michael & Pam Reception

My little brother Michael (who is 24) got married last month to his sweetie, Pamela.  They met through a mutual friend at BYU, where Michael went to study engineering last year.  They were friends for a long time before they went out.  Michael, being the sweet guy that his big sisters trained him to be, would tell Pam that she looked good when they were just friends.  And they would hang out a lot.  And then he had finals, so he stopped seeing her so much, and she stopped talking to him.  Michael was very confused at Christmas, why his friend was made at him.  We told him that she probably liked him, and he should ask her out.  They started dating when he got back to Utah, and he proposed near the end of the semester.

They got married in Utah, in June (on the summer solstice, no less).  Most of use here in Michigan couldn't make it, so we threw them a party when they came to visit in July.  Plus, receptions are fun, and who doesn't like to get gifts?

They seemed pretty happy to be married. 

Emily was happy to get some cake.

Or rather, she was happy to get cake for other people.

The girls wore matching yellow dresses I made them.  I used a couple different patterns, that I've used before for other dresses.  I used yellow seersucker, with white eyelet trim for the bottom of the skirt.  They were pretty stinking cute in them.

 

I braided Emily's hair in french braids for the party.  She likes to have her hair braided (although she sometimes protests when it is actually being braided).  And it looks so pretty.

Tabitha enjoyed hanging out with whomever wanted to hold her.  She is pretty easy going about that, unless she is hungry.

Valentines Day (a little early)

Valentines day is one of my favorite holidays.  I like hearts, I like candy, and I never felt a ton of extra pressure to be in a relationship (mostly because I never really was at valentines day, until I dated Dan, and then we were already dating; so I fretted over not being in a relationship most of the time, not just at valentines day).

When I was in elementary school, we would make "mailboxes" and give people valentines.  I always agonized over the cards I would give the boys, because I didn't want them (or anyone else) to get the idea that I liked any of them.  I tried to give them the most un-mushy, generic cards, but there always seemed to be one more boy than un-mushy card.  So then one boy would end up with "you're great" or "I like you" instead of "happy valentines day."  Which would get noticed, and then I would be embarrassed.

So, yeah, I spent a large part of elementary school trying to avoid being embarrassed.

Despite the perpetual dilemma of valentines day cards, valentines day in elementary school was pretty awesome.  We got candy, and we got to have a class party.  What more do you want when you are 8?

Somewhere between elementary school and college, I accepted the notion that you needed someone special to celebrate valentines day with.  When I was 16 or 17, the girls at church decided to wear black the day after valentines day, as a protest against the boys (who were not asking us out) in the world.  Of course, this was the same time at which the guys (ages 16-18) would collectively buy each of the girls (of the same age) roses for valentines day.  It's hard to hate a holiday when it's just about the only time the guys your age acknowledge you.

My freshman year in college, my roommate gave me a valentines.  Just like the kind I used to get back in elementary school.  I wasn't expecting it, but the idea that you could celebrate valentines, with friends, stuck.  So valentines day celebrations came back into my life, and at some point between when I was a freshman at 18, and when I left college (the second time) at 24, valentines day became my favorite holiday.

The next valentines day, Dan and I were dating, and I put a lot of effort into it.  Dan had told me about a tradition in Japan, where girls give chocolates to the guy they like.  I bought a candy mold, and melting chocolates, and made Dan some heart shaped chocolates.  I agonized over the card I got him; we had only been dating for a couple months, and I didn't want to be too mushy, but I wanted to let him know how I felt.  I also made a chocolate hazelnut cake, baked in a heart shaped cake pan.  I went all out.

Dan, at some point, got the idea that I didn't like surprises and that I didn't really want to do anything for valentines day.  He got me some flowers the day before valentines day, and maintains to this day that they were not actually for valentines day.

This year is our fifth valentines day together.  Dan surprised me with flowers and a card earlier this week.  And today we went out for a movie and lunch, as my treat for him.  Along with the flowers, he also bought some strawberries, and reminded me we have whipping cream in the fridge.  I am plotting dessert.  Maybe caramel angel food cake?

Apples and cookies for breakfast

Today is my 3 year anniversary.  And I am having breakfast in bed--with Emily.  Dan couldn't sleep upstairs last night, so instead of going downstairs and waking him up, we are upstairs in my room.

We are having apple slices and cookies.  Emily ate most of the apple slices, trying to feed her dolly & me along the way.  Then she saw the cookies.  She's on number 3.

She spent almost as long  singing and bouncing up and down about the second cookie, as she did eating it (and she fed half to me).

I was going to only give her 2 cookies, but then she asked for more, doing her baby sign for them and saying "mo'" so sweetly.  How could I resist?  And then she just ate the frosting.

It's a pretty good way to start off my anniversary.