Another Wedding Anniversary

Today Joe and I celebrate 14 years of wedded bliss.  But I'm really looking forward to next year's big 15th bash.  I will almost certainly be in sunny Florida.  We decided earlier this summer to forgo a trip this year, and we haven't missed Florida since 2001, but have promised each other a bigger and better trip next year.  I can't believe I'm already looking forward to it.  Nothing like wishing my life away.

Every year on August 9th we look at going somewhere to eat that's "non-chain" but we just haven't found a place that we can agree on so back to the Outback Steakhouse for us.  It was scrum-diddly-umptious! A quick trip to Lowe's for a grill cover, then to Kohl's to pay my charge card (I went in with blinders and did good not buying anything else), a drive through Drapers New Car lot so we can dream and then back to Reese to get the kids.  Not a saucy anniversary, but a nice night with my hubby nonetheless. 

And the biggest thrill of the night for us...Laughing about how MY MOM FORGOT!  She left a message on our machine tonight just wondering how things are going, I called her back and we talked about a Cedar Point Trip for her birthday on Thursday and not a word of JoDa Anniversary XIV.  HAHAHA!  I'm just waiting for her to realize it and call back. LOL  Eh, no biggie deal. 

And I did make it through dinner without crying which is somewhat rare.  Of course I only had one glass of wine versus the whole bottle this year.  I usually end up reminiscing about how different life was 14 years ago and it always turns towards Austie and his struggles. Not tonight though, however, when we got back to Dad's house for some reason he had his 2003 diary laying out on the table and I went ahead and read about his birth. One thing that I often forget when thinking back to those days is sure I had a baby that was very sick and we weren't sure he was going to make it, but I also had a 2 year old who was being shuffled all over the place and that had to be hard on him too.  I saw a lot of writings like "picked up Tommie from so and so" (usually Sherri or Joe's Mother, and he wrote Tommy's name like that back then), "dropped off Tommie to so and so,"  "Tommie spent the night and had to go potty three times and fell out of bed"...Lol. 

I just am so thankful that we have such a great family & friend support system.  Austin wouldn't be doing as well as he is if we didn't have help carting him to therapies, doctors appointments, watching the other kids for us, or just giving us a break so we can enjoy each others company and talk about how far he's come, and how far we've come in 14 married years and 19 years together.  I love Joe with all my heart, and Tommy, Austin, and Ashley too.  I could only dream on August 9, 1997 how rich my life would be and maybe, just maybe, the best is yet to come.