A Day to Remember . . . 11 years ago.

11 years.

11 years of fabulousness mixed with a little reality along the way.

11 years of being married to my Sweetheart. 

Today is our wedding anniversary.

I went back today and read a journal we started days before we wed.  This "joint" journal lasted, um, four days.  Thankfully, a marriage can last longer than a journal, right?  It was somewhat entertaining reading my thoughts from eleven years ago.  I remember wanting everything to sound wonderful and look nice and neat on paper.  And it was . . . for the most part. 

I laughed recalling all the problems we had the night before our wedding: BOTH cars broke down, the tux's AND my dress weren't ready to go until THAT evening.  We didn't even eat dinner until 10:30 p.m.!  After the wedding when Ben and I would've had time to be alone on the hour-long drive to the reception, we realized his car keys were in his suit instead of his tux.  His suit was in his brother's car . . . on the road already!  We had to ride to the reception in the back of MY PARENTS car!  Part humiliating, part comical.   

Actually, I remember feeling a little releaved--my poor, virginal, sweet, innocent-self had only then fully realized that once I was married, Ben could kiss me and kiss me and wouldn't have to stop.  With Mom and Dad up front, that put a kink in our plans.  Ah, to be so innocent again.  Looking back, all that innocence accounts for so much in the wonder of getting married.  We started together full of newness and unknowns.  We've learned them all, well, 11 years-worth, together.  Believe me, we've laughed through a lot of them!  I've had eleven years to prove to Ben that I am, without question, a nerd.

Today, I'm so full of love for my Love.  He's been all that a husband should be--He has made me feel like a beautiful woman every day of our 11 years together.  Even, and especially, when I'm an over-weight-post-partum-psycho!  We've had a marriage full of fun with much stretching and growth along the way.  He still makes me laugh.  Often.

My mom said once that, "Marrying Ben was the best thing that ever happened to you."  And you know what?  She was right.