Zero Zero Niner

Did you know that January is the least popular month to get married?  December is popular because people get to double-dip on already-decorated-for-Christmas venues to save on flowers (among other reasons) and February is popular because of an alleged romantic holiday that actually began as an homage to a couple of martyred saints bearing the name Valentine.

January is cold and anti-climactic.  So, in my opinion, what better time to celebrate a wedding...and subsequent anniversaries?  It's kind of like having a birthday in August - where there are no other recognizable holidays.  Yep.  I do that too.

Today Sam and I celebrate our 9th wedding anniversary.  Nine years of wedded bliss (and all of the realities that come with it).

(Because I can't post an anniversary blog post without one of these skinny teen pictures.)

He stuck with me as I went from single teen to teen wife.  From teen wife to young mom.  He's watched me try on so many hats as I went from college student to part-time college student/part-time engineer to full-time engineer while he finished his Masters degree.  We've witnessed the birth of three beautiful and unique children and anxiously await the arrival of our fourth.  He has tolerated the mood swings, the tears, the emotional roller coasters that accompany pregnancy, postpartum adjustments, and an unexpected job loss.  I can count on one hand, at worst, the number of times I have heard him raise his voice and lose his patience.  Some day, I have no doubts, that people will look back on his life and dub him Saint Sam - whether for putting up with me or not, that's up for deliberation.  He is supportive, encouraging, and gentle.  The kind of husband and father every man should be.

When we first got married, I was a big movie buff.  I saw tons of movies in the theater and if I didn't, I saw them as soon as they were released on DVD.  As time grew more precious, I stopped watching movies as much (and flushing movie ticket money down the toilet too), but I haven't stopped remembering some of the quotes from the countless movies I watched back then.  Maybe it's cheating, but here's a mostly pre-2000's tribute via movie quotes to my awesome husband.  (In the form of a quiz - answers at the bottom...because I'm just that big of a nerd.) 

Name that Movie:

1.  You make me want to be a better [wo]man.

2.  In my opinion the best thing you can you do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are. Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty, handsome, what have you, the right person will still think the sun shines out of your ass hiney (This is a PG kind of blog). That’s the kind of person that’s worth sticking with. 

3.  Look, I guarantee there’ll be tough times. I guarantee that at some time, one or both of us is gonna want to get out of this thing. But I also guarantee that if I don’t ask you to be mine, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life, because I know, in my heart, you’re the only one for me.

4.  Well, it was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were suppose to be together… and I knew it. I knew it the very first time I touched [him]. It was like coming home… only to no home I’d ever known… I was just taking [his] hand to help [me] out of a car and I knew. It was like… magic.

5.  When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. 

And as for "Love means never having to say you're sorry" - let me just make one comment:  That's wrong.  Love means saying you're sorry on a daily basis, if necessary.  And that's all I have to say about that. 

Sam, Happy Anniversary!  When we were newlyweds, I learned how to make sweet tea for you.  Today, I finally learned to make Chocolate Delight.  It only took nine years.  (And it's not even hard.)  Here's to nine times nine more years together.  (Hey, it could happen!)

The Answers

1.  As Good as it Gets

2.  Juno

3.  Runaway Bride

4.  Sleepless in Seattle

5.  When Harry Met Sally