thirteen

Darren and I celebrated 13 years of marriage on Monday. Thirteen years. I feel old. Old and grateful. We have been together since we were 12 and 13 years old. I just did the math and that means we've been together for 21 years (minus a few short break-ups during the teenage years). Darren has been a part of my life for so long that I cannot remember my life without him in it. I love him and am so thankful that he chose me to do life with! Oh, it hasn't always been easy...we have weathered some really tough storms together, but I wouldn't change any of it for the world. In fact, WE are better and stronger because we've been through (and survived) the storms. My favorite quote from this year has been this:

Those who abandon ship the first time it enters a storm miss the calm beyond. And the rougher the storms weathered together, the deeper and stronger real love grows. -Ruth Graham Bell

We didn't do much on our anniversary. We just went to dinner at Kona Ranch and rented a movie ("The Informant"...it was so awful that we didn't even bother to watch all of it). The real anniversary celebration will be when we head to the lake house for 5 days/4 kid-free nights next week. I can't wait!!!! I also can't wait to see what the next 13 years will bring for me and this man I love. Here's to hoping the storms will be kept to a minimum....

Not only did I get a dozen gorgeous lilac colored roses for our anniversary, but I also got these three yellow roses as well. I love them all! Wish I had fresh flowers in my house year round, but I KNOW that's not going to happen!