Anniversary Party

My husband and I will be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary this Friday. No, no. Hold your applause. You're too kind. I have been looking forward to this milestone for quite a while now. Ten years, in fact...oddly enough. Getting ready for marriage was quite stressful for me. I was a 20 year old, small town girl looking at a life sentence in a "big" city that I hated. I was loathe to leave my parents, my family, and my hometown behind. I found the whole "plan the wedding of your dreams because this is the most important day of your life, and this is your only chance to a princess for a day so don't screw it up" thing very overwhelming. The only thing I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt was that despite how much I disliked the tornado of tulle and tacky decorations swirling around me, Darcy was most definitely worth it...(and I was absolutely correct). Shortly after the honeymoon was over, and I could breathe again, in my mind I began to formulate a plan for our 10th wedding anniversary party. I envisioned a garden party with lots of twinkle lights and an assortment of fruity wines and finger foods. I saw a grandiose house looming in the back as I floated among the guests with a newborn girl in my arms and my three year old son hanging onto my free hand. It was a great dream, planned extravagantly down to the tiniest detail...but where was the actual marriage in that dream? Was it tucked somewhere between pretty pink napkins and crisp white linens?
Come Friday, the closest to a garden party I'll get is a quick lunch at the Olive Garden. Maybe we'll get nostalgic and take a stroll past the park bench where we got engaged. We'll point out the spot to the kids, and say that's where it started; this life of soccer practices and baseball games, trips to emergency rooms, and suppers where at least two children are fighting, and something always gets spilled on the freshly washed floor. And somewhere tucked between the mess and the chaos is the marriage; a foundation of love and faith we've been building on for 10 years.
I'd like to say I've been the ideal spouse so far, and I suppose if my hubby's ideal mate is a shrill, demanding barracuda with a tendency to burst into tears with little or no provocation, then I guess I could safely say that I have been ideal. (I must not be too terrible to live with though, otherwise I would be writing a different kind of story altogether, probably from prison.)
I love being married to my husband, even on the days when I have to restrain myself from picking up the couch and throwing it at him. And I know he loves me too, because if he didn't, I'd be writing a different story altogether probably from pri...well you get the idea. There are certain risks involved when you marry a temperamental barracuda.
So thank-you darling for 10 wonderful years. It has been an amazing journey, and I thank God everyday that I am your wife.