Let Me Count the Ways...

It is finally the weekend, although I am a little thrown off.  Thursday was my Eighth wedding anniversary to The Hubs.  We went out that night, something we very rarely ever do.  Then, he took the next day off from work.  Having him home so much before the weekend started has thrown me off a bit, but I am extremely grateful for time with him.  He works so hard for our family, oftentimes without complaint.

I figured I would make a small post about something my husband has done for me since our first wedding anniversary.  It's really sweet :-)

 

Each year, my husband gets me a rose that symbolizes the year that we have been married.  I am loving that we have been together and committed to one another long enough for us to have a decent sized bouquet forming now.

 

The first year is PAPER

The second year is COTTON

The third anniversary is LEATHER

The fourth anniversary is FRUIT

The fifth is WOOD



The sixth is CANDY, which you can see very well, but the rose is a little blurred.

The seventh anniversary is WOOL

This last anniversary on 12/12 was our BRONZE anniversary

I am excited to make it to the Crystal rose at 15 years, the Silver rose at 25 and the GOLD rose at 50 years!

I am not bragging about my relationship or marriage whatsoever.  I hate it when people do that.  The truth is, there were many, many, many times when I did not think I would see another rose in December.  We have had our ups and downs, ins and outs, but we pulled through.  In the end, that is the essence of marriage.  It's a commitment to grow with someone and to persevere together.  Now, if you have someone who is abusive, disrespectful, or just plain not the one for you, then this post is not for you.

My husband and I are completely different people, but we have made a choice to dedicate our lives to one another and our Little Darling.  We have chosen to work continually on keeping the furnace of unconditional positive regard alit.  I am so grateful that we never threw in the towel and walked away from all we've built and our bright future ahead.

So, to everyone out there, dating and married, Happy Anniversary from me to you! 

I wish you a wonderful garden of love, happiness, and beauty!