Between Anniversaries

Today is our "Between Anniversaries" day. For those of you who don't know, our religious anniversary (and the "real" one) is on the 4th of December and our legal anniversary is on the 6th. (No one told us there is a three day waiting period for a marriage license in Michigan!) Typically we decorate our Christmas tree the evening of the 4th, but this year this tradition was forgotten until 11:00 p.m. last night. I had remembered all week and we were very excited about it, but then when last night came and Sylvia began fussing we were too distracted. Needless, our tree is still not decorated. Perhaps we can do it the evening of the 6th.

It's been four years already. I cannot believe that much time has gone by. Four years ago we lived in a dumpy little apartment and I was stressed to the max working in retail management. Dave was employed by both the church and a historic restoration building company. We were also both in school full time; Dave for his first bachelors and me for my second. Since then we have lived in three additional places, have welcomed 21 different animals in and out of our home (plus Frank the squirrel in our first apartment that we didn't really welcome into our home but he came anyway), Dave has had countless jobs and I have had a few myself. We have experienced one pregnancy and now have one seven-week-old infant in our family. She is such a joy and a permanent reminder of our marriage and relationship over the years. This will be our fifth Christmas together in marriage and we are thrilled to be able to share it with Sylvia.

The changes and things we have experienced these last four years are truly remarkable and some of the stresses we have encountered have done nothing but strengthen our relationship and love for one another. In this, we have been very blessed.