Nine!

We can now say we've been married nine years. Isn't that nuts!? And what does this couple do to celebrate their anniversary?

Well, Ryan went running with a friend this morning and brought his teenage-daughter home with him. Yep, she was here at 7:30 in the morning! We went to breakfast at a little diner nearby. We are totally missing his uncle's place in Vancouver, but this was passable. I love eating out for breakfast.

After breakfast? We went to Kohl's to return a shirt, but couldn't find anything to buy with the gift card. We went to Best Buy to spend a gift card, but couldn't find anything we wanted. We went to Lowe's for...  wait for it.... night lights (my sis is coming tonight and her daughter needs a night light to sleep with) and furnace filters. Ha ha.

Furnace filters and night lights for an anniversary? Yep, that's nine years for ya. Who needs diamonds and special trips? I have Ryan, and that's all I need.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my amazing husband. We have had a crazy last year; it has literally been the best and worst year of our nine years together. We had our AMAZING trip to the Bahamas in February followed by the HORRIFIC four-month separation of Joliet. In the midst of those events (and after almost five years of planning and dreaming), we finished our basement to perfection.

And through it all, we have grown to love each other more and more. I love you, Babe. I can't imagine life without you. Happy anniversary!