lets celebrate 7!!

It's true....tomorrow is our anniversary. 

Tim and I will have been married for 7 years! 
It's really exciting! 7 years and 4 kids later.... :)
After finding out that I was able to line up a sitter, I started thinking of what we could do on our date.  Of course we both love our quick dinner and movie time, but with an anniversary to celebrate, I figured it should be something memorable (especially since we aren't the gift-giving types.)  I wanted to do something different.
But...I was drawing a blank.

See, I can be a creative person when the wim hits me...and I enjoy doing things out-of-the-ordinary.  Seems as though memories are always taking us back to the unique days of our lives.

I tossed around ideas in my head, hoping something would touch the creative part of my brain and wake it up...

7 years of marriage...we could do 7 things to celebrate.....but what?

A word that had 7 letters that related to our lives?  The only one that I could think of that fit was romance.

Yes, that is a good word...but it doesn't really describe us. 

Don't get me wrong...we enjoy each other...but our favorite memories quite honestly don't have much to do with romance.  Plus, a romantic night spells dressing up, a fancy dinner, roses.........

Tim dislikes dressing up.

We both prefer cheese fries to Italian cuisine.

I find purchased flowers a waste of money (give me something like chocolate I can eat!).

So, scratch that.....


7.
Seven.
Seven things.
Celebrating 7 years.
2004-2011.
I started thinking of each year individually.  I wrote them out.
LIGHTBULB!
We would do 7 things together that reminded us of our 7 years of marriage.
Now we were cooking.  I wrote out the years...easily putting things like "son was born...son came home" etc.  Those 3 years were easy to figure out what was most memorable.
Now for the others.  How to remember our years..................


Year 1  (Nov 2004 - Nov 2005)   We lived in Cedarville, made 13K, I got in an accident.
The accident thing won't be fun to relive or recreate.  Not sure our babysitters would like if we drove to Cedarville.  BUT, we can find something to buy that costs $13....reminiscent of the amount we made our first year of marriage.


Year 2  (Nov 2005 - Nov 2006)   Big move to Illinois....becoming "adults"
Yes, adulthood comes when one turns 21.  But even at 21, Tim and I had little responsibility.  We lived in the married student apartments on Cedarville Campus (paid $320/month in rent)...stayed up super late (we're talking 1-2am) and slept in (at least I usually slept til 11am).  Ate dinner in the living room watching Firefly together, and did laundry for free at his parents house.  When Tim took the job as a Youth and Music Pastor at Faith Baptist in IL...our lives reaaaally changed.  We were apart most of the day - I was in Beauty School 8+ hrs, and he worked full time (often weekend days too) - all year round.  Our rent jumped $500 and we needed to make new friends and become responsible.  Not that it was all bad, but it was a bit of a culture shock.  I think to "celebrate" that year, we can either do something only adults can do....or do something that reminds us specifically of IL. 


Year 3 (Nov 2006 - Nov 2007)   Pregnancy and birth of Cale. 
I asked Cale: What is something fun Mommy and Daddy can do on our anniversary?"  "I dont know...maybe watch a movie."  Easy enough. :)  Tim will be happy with that.


Year 4 (Nov 2007 - Nov 2008)   Fun family vacation. 
Tim and I LOVED our vacation to the Wisconsin Dells.   Friends of ours offered their "cabin" for free. We were thinking it was an actual cabin, but it turned out to be a motor home with an addition tacked on.  Not what we expected, but it was perfect for the 3 of us.  It was such a laid back trip...just spending 4 days of quality time...doing a few fun activites per day.  One of my favorite things is spending time around a fire pit.  We gathered wood during the day, then after we put Cale in bed, we both went out and spent time talking around the fire, reminiscing and eating smores.  Lovely. :)  So...I guess we'll have to relive the year by doing something relaxing or just downright fun....preferably free.


Year 5 (Nov 2008 - Nov 2009)   Somewhat rash decision making. ;)
Okay, this is the year we purchased our house.  We were tired of moving around.  From Cedarville apts to the Wheaton Center to Lorraine apts to Wiant to Boxwood.  Here we stopped at Boxwood Lane.   We purchased a house that we probably should have.  We loved the place, but we didn't quiiiiiiite have the budget for it.  We just held our breath and jumped in the deep end of being homeowners.  We never did sell that house....  Since then, however, God has opened our eyes to the fact that we both tend to be excited decision-makers...AND that a little hesitance and a lot of prayer on even the little matters can go a long way.  Because we are celebrating each year, I think Tim will get on board with us purchasing something on an impulse.  Perhaps something we both have "had our eyes on," but put on the back burner.  Catch is...we both need to 100% agree.


Year 6 (Nov 2009 - Nov 2010)   Referral and Homecoming of Megersa.
I asked Megersa the same thing I asked Cale.  Megersa thinks that Daddy and I should wrestle...or color. 
Well, we will choose one of those...  But that's all I'll say about that. ;)


Year 7 (Nov 2010 - Nov 2011)   Pregnancy and birth of Thaddeus & Shepherd.
Clearly they are too young to help us choose an activity.  But there is so much uniqueness about having twins.  Most obvious first - there are 2 of them.  I initially thought it'd be easiest to do or buy two of the same things...but that seems too selfish.  And when I look back at their first few months of life, I honestly remember so much giving.  Giving from others TO us.  Many wonderful people rose to the occasion to give of their time and energy to help us get through those challenging adjustments.  I think, in honor of our twins Tim and I can find some way to bless another family.



And that about sums it up.  7 years of memories.  7 years of deep, true, love.
And looking forward to many, many, many, MANY more!!

((Also, I promise to try and post pictures of our super awesome date. :))