What a difference nine years can make...

Today is our anniversary. And we celebrated by staring deeply into each others eyes across the dinner table, for about 2.5 seconds. We shared a romantic meal of grilled cheese sandwiches and soup, and a bottle of sparkling cider. We talked, but our conversation mostly consisted of chew with your mouth closed's and please don't interrupt's. There was, miraculously enough, nothing spilled, except soup on my shirt because it was white and unstained.

But you know what? It was a perfect night with my favorite people in the world. And it made me think what a difference children and passing years make on what constitutes a romantic celebration of love. Someday it will be just us again and anniversary dinners will mean dressing up and going to fancy restaurants, and not choosing between buying bread and milk or a dozen roses and chocolates. But somehow, I don't think that they will be anymore special than the years we'll spend sharing them with our three, noisy, crazy, and lovely babies.

Happy Anniversary Brian. Thank you for the three best presents I'll ever get. Here's to spending the next year celebrating our everyday, ordinary life.