... I married my very best friend on a sweltering summer evening. It was such a beautiful day. It started with my clock radio actually waking me up to hear none other than "goin' to the chapel" playing bright and early. I can still remember smiling at the very idea of that being on the radio before waking up completely, rubbing my eyes and realizing that it really was on the radio. It was just a perfect an unexpected little detail that has been followed by so many others. Falling in love with my husband was the easiest thing I've ever done, only followed in ease by learning to love him more. We are still just getting to know one another in some ways, and in others, the familiarity is the most comforting place we have at the end of the day.
Those unexpected details unfold before our eyes and become our dialogue, our plot, with all of its twists and turns, filled with so many characters that all continue to write the story of us.
I walked out the front door the other day to head to the bottom of our long hill to get the mail. As soon as I had shut the door behind me, I heard it open again with three sets of giggles speeding up to reach my back. I didn't even turn around, but knew immediately who the tag-alongs were by the sound of their mischief. Once I was about 10 feet from the edge of the road, they all stopped at the crack in the driveway that I don't let them passed while I went a little more dangerously to the edge of the road to pull the mail out of the box.
Raising my head up from the pile in my hands after a quick scan of the contents, I watched them race each other back up the hill and was impressed with how well the littlest kept up. In that moment, walking slowly and watching them run quickly, our home in the background holding all the rest of the souls that complete our picture - I was struck - blown over - overwhelmed - at the fullness of it all. How we have become so much more than just us. Not just in numbers. In love. Heavy with blooms like the crepe myrtles that are laying on our front walk when they can't hold up all that beauty any more. It overwhelms them. It overwhelms me.
Over these 16 years there have been countless times when that weight feels more burdensome than beautiful and it causes us to scatter a bit. Last night on the way home from our first dinner alone since Roman was born, we were listening to some exotic, percussion-laden instrumental song, that I cannot remember the name of. I was trying to explain to Jeff how appealing it was to me because all the random, seemingly mismatched elements and beats were happening simultaneously and it gave you the feeling that any minute, it wouldn't work, and the rhythm would fall apart or miss. But it continued just beautifully despite the virtual chaos and all the various tempos happening at once.
And so do we.
Happy Anniversary sweetie, I love you more. xoa
Such a beautiful post, happy anniversary!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary to you both! It is so wonderful to hear about true ♥ that lasts!
ReplyDeleteYou made tears come to my eyes. Today is our 4th anniversary of dating, I can only hope that I am as happily overwhelmed as you are at 16 years.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary!
Happy anniversary and congrats on 16 years...with many more to come I hope!
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary! My husband and I are celebrating our 10th anniversary today! I guess we share the same date.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you let us into your life. So poignant. Beautifully written. Happy anniversary.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post. Congratulations!! :)
ReplyDeleteGod has truly blessed you with a full life that is filled of love and beauty. Thank you so much for sharing it with us! I wish you many, many more happily chaotic years together :O)
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary to you both
ReplyDeletebeautiful post, Congratulations on your Anniversary!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary and thank you for the lovely post!
ReplyDeleteThat was so beautiful..I had to comment! Happy anniversary and may God bless you with many more years of marital bliss!!
ReplyDeleteOhhhh Anna Maria and Jeff,
ReplyDeleteCongrats on all the love you have grown and is still growing in your loving home....you have a beautiful family! You put into words so beautifully, how you are feeling.
Happy Anniversary!
Hugs,
Laurie and family
xo
Such a beautiful post, the heavy flowers full of beauty and the pause of family growth filling the hillside and the random and unified at the same time music that is the beat of life. Congratulations on your anniversary and love.
ReplyDeleteLove is grand... not perfect and tidy, but grand... just the way you describe it. Happy Anniversary to the couple and to the family.
ReplyDeleteDear Anna Maria,
ReplyDeleteI so relate to having those snapshot moments when you SEE and FEEL all that you have and realise that it is 'happiness and contentment'. May you and your family continue to have a full and abundant life. Thank you for sharing and happy, happy 16 years to you and Jeff.
Herta xo
what a beautiful post. congratulations on so many years, here is to many, many more!
ReplyDeleteHow touching! It's so wonderful when love comes crashing over us, and stays a lifetime. Happy anniversary.
ReplyDeleteWow, so beautifully written, Anna. Congratulations on 16 years and on having that moment when you realize all the burden is worth it to get to the beauty. Thank you for making me stop and take stock as well. Happy Anniversary.
ReplyDeletexo Simone
*SIGH*
ReplyDeleteBeautiful!
Happy Anniversary!
Wow! This post says so much!!! Thank you for it! Happy Anniversary - may you have many, many more!!!!
ReplyDeleteYour post leaves a smile on my face and tear in my eye...Happy Anniversary.
ReplyDeleteYou are always so eloquent! Love reading your "little stories" :) Happy Anniversary... and many more!
ReplyDeleteAfter almost two years of following your blog, I'm finally going to make a comment. Because I'm a mother of two (my little guy was born just a few weeks before yours), I have to keep the blogs that I follow to a minimum, just so they don't take over my life. I just pick the few gems that make me happy. Beautiful things, or beautiful thoughts. Thanks for sharing both! Thanks for taking the time to share your self and your little world with us.
ReplyDeleteI once wrote you an email about a question I had concerning your book, and you quickly responded with a warm reply--you totally made my day, cause I felt like I'd met a movie star or something:)
Anyway, happy anniversary, and thanks again.
so wonderfully poetic. all of it. lovely lovely lovely. you are an artist in so many ways, and i so appreciate having the opportunity to enjoy that joyous spirit behind the warm sentiments.
ReplyDeletethank you for a truly lovely post - may everyone experience that overwhelming ache that is love.
so so nicely written, anna.
Happy anniversary, it's so beautiful to see that love still grow up after 16 years!:)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your posting.... and a very happy anniversary to you!
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat detail, as you say, to add to the joy of your special day 16 years ago, to wake up to that old tune! Fun!
May today be the beginning of a very special year of loving and being loved. It's all grace, isn't it?
Really beautiful. You have a lovely family and a way with words. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeletehappy anniversary! i hope you continue to have such wonderful blessings in your life.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your anniversary!!! May you be blessed with many happy years to come.
ReplyDeleteThis was so perfectly said. What a beautiful family.
ReplyDeleteWell, you took all the best ones so there aren't any more words left. Happy Anniversary to you!
ReplyDeleteWahhhhhh! That was beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary to you both!
-Rachel
This was such a beautiful post!! Thank you so much for recalling the love you have for your husband and letting the world realize that marriage is a beautiful thing, that true love exists, and that every couple must go through the hard and the good seasons. God bless you!
ReplyDeletestunning words! It really does explain it perfectly! We've been married not quite 8 yrs and just had our fourth, your post explains it to a 't'. So fun to hear of people's happily ever more
ReplyDeleteSo well said. Beautiful. As are the photographs of the crepe myrtles that you incorporated into the post. I could imagine so vividly your children running up the hill...
ReplyDelete...and waking up "Goin' to the Chapel" on the radio, on your wedding day! How perfect.
Happy anniversary to you both!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. Happy Anniversary! Today I head of too many unhappy marriages and it was so sad. Thank you for the uplifting post...
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous piece. Some passages were especially sublime. My favorite:
ReplyDelete"...In love. Heavy with blooms like the crepe myrtles that are laying on our front walk when they can't hold up all that beauty any more. It overwhelms them. It overwhelms me."
Happy anniversary to you all. And thanks for sharing this wonderful post with us. Love is grand.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing like it. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! My husband and I got married on the very same day as you and Jeff! We also celebrated 16 years on Friday, and like you, I feel so blessed.
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary! Wishing you many more joyful years together...
See this is what I admire most about you.......I know you are extremely talented...your fabrics are to-die...your book, patterns, ideas and so on are AMAZING.
ReplyDeleteI can brag of 32 happy years so far but was never lucky enough to have children. SO to me your biggest neon light is that of your lovely family and what you and your husband have built together so far... with sooooo many more years to come!
Happy Anniversary! You are such great role models for your children.
This is so beautiful it made me cry! My honey and I are soon to celebrate 20 years together, and you describe it so well.... the joy and fullness, and messiness and all. Thanks and congratulations.
ReplyDeleteYou have the words that flow like a fresh mountain spring. Thank you for sharing. Congratulations on your anniversary~
ReplyDeletesimply heartwarming.
ReplyDeleteWow! I through some process of surfing I stumble onto your blog last night and I am so glad I did. That is simply a wonderful story about your anniversary and family. I am glad to say I will be following your blog.
ReplyDeletecheck out what's new at www.smclevenger.blogspot.com
Happy Anniversary! Another July couple here. We will celebrate 14 at the end of the month. Last year I gave him our 5th daughter as a gift...not sure I can top that one this year. ;)
ReplyDeleteYour post touched my heart. You described life perfectly. Happy, happy anniversary!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post-
Annamaria
Happy Anniversary!! I just love your posts and your prose. I was an English major, but I doubt that I could ever add the artistic touch to my words the way that you do...My wife and I are coming up on our 20th this fall, and I can so relate to every thing you spoke in there...the burden is part of the beauty ...how wonderfully profound....
ReplyDeletetouching....your words, I only wish I could have written them. My husband and I just celebrated our 18th anniversary and I feel the same....thank you for sharing those beautiful words...Pamie G.
ReplyDeletecongratulations!!!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your 16th anniversary! I absolutely loved reading this post, it was so well written & the pictures are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI got all misty-eyed when you talked about getting your mail. Those little moments, when we realize what we have, are the most powerful...even better than a day at Disneyland, I think.
ReplyDeleteYou brought a tear to my eyes with that post! I can only hope that I can be as blessed as you are! Congratulations and thank you so much for sharing!
ReplyDelete~Dani
Just beautiful. Congratulations and happy anniversary.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post, how wonderful to see happy family and couple who appreciate their life together, and who are mature enough to know that it takes work for the rewards.
ReplyDeleteDelightful
Thanks for sharing your beautiful love story with us ~ may your story age heavily with memories like your glorious crepe myrtle xxxx
ReplyDeletethat is so amazing , you got married on Saint Marina's Name Day Agia Marina,
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely Fantastic
Kronia Pola
Oh Anna-MAria! Happy Anniversary! All of God's blessings to both of you and your beautiful family.
ReplyDelete(Now please check this out:
http://thegreengreek.blogspot.com/2009/07/celebrating-love.html)
Beautiful post. Happy anniversary!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary!
ReplyDelete--CraftyDad
I never could find the exact words to describe marriage.
ReplyDeleteYou just did.
Thank you.
And happy Anniversary.
True love is so beautiful. Congratulations, you two.
ReplyDeleteAw, happy anniversary!
ReplyDeleteThat is one of the most beautiful posts I have ever read. Happy anniversary!
ReplyDeleteThat brought tears to my eyes. I have one and get overwhelmed by the love. Happy anniversary!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful tribute to your love, your marriage and your family. Happy Anniversary!
ReplyDeleteoh how beautiful, anna m!
ReplyDeleteyou've been so gifted so see the delicious beauty in the ordinary & what a gift it is to many of us. thanks for sharing :)
Happy Anniversary!!!!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to let you know that I randomly found your fabric, became obsessed with the colors and patterns you use and had to find it immediately. I just finished my FIRST ever sewing project that I blogged about, using the main fabric from you. Thank you for making such gorgeous, vivid prints! I love your creativity and so happy you have a blog. Georgeous family. :)
Happy Anniversary ... your story was so well put...enjoy each and every moment!
ReplyDeleteJanet
This post gave me goosebumps! And a little *sniff*
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary!
A beautiful post about a beautiful relationship!
ReplyDeleteHi Congratulations on your anniversary. I was really interested to see the crepe myrtle. We have Myrtle plants over here but I'm not sure if it is the same thing. My mother's name is Myrtle, would it be OK if I copied the photograph to show her. She would love to see it. Thankyou again for the inspiring words and stunning photos.
ReplyDeleteLovely. You are just as wonderful a writer as you are an artist. Thank you for sharing and congratulations. (We celebrated our 9 year anniversary 2 days earlier.)
ReplyDeleteOh, my. You say it so well. Happy Anniversary.
ReplyDeleteThat was a lovely thing to read. My husband it in the military, so sometimes I feel like we're still waiting for those getting-to-know-you years (even though we're going on 13).
ReplyDeleteAnna you are so amazing. You sound so full of life and love. You really are an inspiration. What a wonderful story.
ReplyDeleteI wish you a belated Happy Anniversary and hope you have many many many happy, healthy and beautiful years of married and family life ahead.
Warm Hugs
Shalini
Lovely...
ReplyDeleteHappy A!
Happy Anniversary! My husband and I just celebrated our 10th. I love those little 'aha' moments when all the chaos melts away and you can see how wonderful the big picture really is... :) *happy sigh*
ReplyDeleteYay! We have the same anniversary! We just celebrated 12 years. I love your blog, you are an inspiration to me both as a mother (I have 4 kids) and as a creative girl. Thank you for all that you share here.
ReplyDeleteWow - such beautyful words I doesn't read for long long time...thanks for sharing
ReplyDeletebest wishes from germany
emma
You're living THE life of my dreams - enough said. God bless.
ReplyDelete:-)
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