10 valentine's days with you

My valentine. We hum Cinderella all day long and geek out over Star Wars. We create traditions and sing together and make everything a competition and fight while cooking in the kitchen. We tell each other "you're doing a great job" and motivate one another with "you got this, babe." We take our girls to get doughnuts and go grocery shopping as a family every Friday morning which sometimes results in making a scene in aisle 4. We get dressed up sometimes, split french fries, and ask the host at the restaurant to take a polaroid as we leave. We skip out on long lines at the arcade to go play pool instead. We give each other cards and laugh at being cheesy and yet we're cheesy all the same. 

You are the man in the kitchen making the kids dinner. You make the coffee every night and pour my cup every morning. You never forget to take out the trash. You treat my dreams like your own. You make play forts with Darcie, take the girls on rocket ship rides, and plan family movie nights. All you ever want is more of us....even when we're not at our best. 

We've created a really beautiful life. You're my forever. 

babymoon round 2

Mostly pics, but just had to dump some good ole memories from our little getaway (40 miles from home) that was SO restful and relaxing and vibey. 

Some highlights:

- All I wanted was a tub in my room. All I wanted was a luxurious bath. Sweet husband tried so hard during check-in but the only room with a bathtub is only booked through corporate and not even Kanye West got that upgrade when he was last chilling in Norfolk, VA (allegedly).

- We strolled japanese gardens and snapped pics in a reflection of a macaron shop with the city scape in the background and just so happy in the moment.

- There was a photo booth at the rooftop restaurant that we frequented every night. We watched the lights on the water and curled up by the fire pits, talking, laughing, dreaming.

- Bath robes and coffee was a thing in the mornings. Who knew you could be so happy to just sit and look out a window at ships in the harbor? 

- Local coffee always. But also, overalls might not be the best when you're 37 weeks pregnant having to pee every 10 minutes.

- Our niece, Brighton Eliana, was born halfway through our time away so we took a detour to welcome her to the world (and also kiss our little DJ while we were at it 'cause you know). 

- The food. Fresh salads, eggs and bacon for breakfast, funnel cake fries dipped in nutella, ramen bowls, frozen yogurt, and let's also not forget the enormous pretzel with beer cheese. Praise the Lord.

- A fire ravaged Notre Dame and we watched the footage and read the headlines, heartbroken, with the rest of the world. 

- Exploring the city, but also super content to find little corners in our hotel, plop down, and talk for hours...because the hotel was that beautiful. And the natural light was that superior.

- Strolling main street with my main squeeze.

- Anticipating our baby girl. And holding our breath for the future while relishing the quiet togetherness we shared.

What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven't happened yet.

 

snow day, crystal rapids, and details

{ this post originally appeared on Molly Hunter Korroch's blog HERE }

It’s still snowing outside. It’s been a blistery white mess out there since yesterday afternoon. We tried venturing out. It was a fun walk to the nearby golf course where we snapped photos and marched across a completely untouched and unobstructed blanket of white. But when we turned around to make the long trek back, we realized very quickly we must walk into the storm to get back home. All the magic and romance of snow? Gone. Every few yards, we stopped, desperate to turn our backs on the gusty wind and flurries of flakes. Then we took each other’s hand, scrunched our scarves over our faces and persevered.

Now we’re back inside. I’m on the couch, listening to my “Whimsy Winter” Spotify playlist, writing (a prompt for my beautiful & TALENTED friend's blog). Ben is painting. Something about snow days as adults…you take advantage of the forced inside-time to actually get things done. Today it’s our back door. I was tired of it being white and, because I’m too indecisive and/or scared of commitment to paint color onto my walls, I decided to put a splash of something fun on a door. Because why not. Like I said, we're adults.

I have this thing about selecting paint colors for our home -- they are chosen solely by their name. And it must be a nod to nature: Gentle Rain, Orchid Haze, Sun Shower, Ocean Pearl, Falling Snow. I like words, and I’m sentimental, so it shouldn’t really come to anyone’s surprise that I’d care about something like this.  Tonight, Ben is carefully painting our door in pristine Crystal Rapids. It’s the perfect mint-blue pop to match the new Anthropologie knobs on our pantry closet. Yes, I asked for hardware in my stocking this past Christmas. The standard knobs were just plain white wood...boring. I wanted something vibrant. Metallic! Patterned! Gold! After all, it’s all in the details.

Details. I once heard a quote, "Details are the difference between mediocre and excellent." And who wouldn't want life to be excellent? So me...I like making life all about the details. Smiling to myself that my husband knew exactly how much snow we’d be getting during the storm because he refreshed the weather app every ten minutes for the two days prior -- "we're definitely getting a lot."  to verify we were definitely getting a lot. When he called me over to approve the finished door (and interrupted this prompt) because he won’t want to retouch anything later and he knows I’m picky. Correcting my Taylor Swift lyrics nonchalantly or putting just the right amount of Nutella in my latte. Powdered sugar sprinkled atop our brunch pancakes or arguing in the kitchen over how we should season the chili. What he obsesses over as he grades college students’ papers and then reading me their outlandish theories. Falling asleep to white noise from a cell phone, the ceiling fan on and the door open. The door has to be open. How he bought me a bright pink silicone cover to slip onto the video game controller designated just for me…as if it really needed the distinction. When he burns the bacon just the way I like it or puts cream in the mug before the coffee to avoid dirtying a spoon. How I know that “day three” of no shaving is the best 5 o’clock shadow on his angled face. Details. Making sure the shower curtain is always closed to prevent mildew or folding dirty socks to make sure they make it into the wash together.

Details are what make him him. What make us us. Tonight, I’m not telling Ben that Crystal Rapids might be too bright. I won’t try and explain how a softer color might make me feel calmer or suit our home better. It will irritate him. He’ll say it’s no big deal. I’m being too specific. Too…detailed.

I'll just wait to tackle that tomorrow.

xoxo,

D

#bennybdaymania

Last week, we celebrated the birthday boy.

Here at the rothwell square, we commit to filling all seven+ days of the week with birthday-ness. Since it's only the two of us, we find it's way more fun to spread out the festivities & make them last longer! Yes...we're kids at heart.

But this year, life events demanded Ben's birthday week be a total "grown up" week filled with grown up responsibilities -- welcoming all his college students back on site, starting his master's degree, hosting Southeastern University execs from Florida, and last but not least, preaching up a STORM at all of CrossWalk's weekend services. 

Despite it being a wild, whirlwind week, I refused to let it pass without acknowledging the reasons I love the birthday boy! (it's my job as a wife, you know...) So while he's busy writing sermons, reading a tower of textbooks, planning meetings, and editing university handbooks, I'll cuddle up on our couch with my iced coffee sub pumpkin spice and write about this high-performing-task-oriented-overachieving-always-leading husband of mine. 

taken by my sweet sister-in-law

(since I'll never adequately put the amount of my love into words, I'll attempt to put the moments I love into words. After all, it's the beautiful togetherness we share that makes up our love...am I right?!)

I love him during the quiet moments at the rothwell square. I love him when we have taylor swift blaring, and the kitchen is a wreck, but we're having a dance party. I love him when we're driving around town - off to do something he doesn't necessarily want to do, but he's doing for me. I love him when we walk hand-in-hand at the farmers' market. I love him when we sit next to each other at work meetings, both getting passionate about the same thing, simultaneously. I love him (enough to melt) when I catch his stare from across the room & he sends me a quick wink. I love him when he wears his boxers around the house. I love him when I groggily awake to dishes clanging in the kitchen & I know he's making us breakfast. I love him when he comes out of the H&M dressing room sporting a scoop neck tee & skinny jeans...plus a brooding squint that'd land him a magazine spread. I love him when his eyes well up while talking about the Word. I love him when he eagerly opens our home to others and hosts with expertise. I love him when he whistles before, during, after, & between his daily tasks. I love him when he slumps in his seat after every meal - fancy or fast food - his stance is always the same. I love him even when he throws his hands up in angry antics while we're arguing. I love him when he records programs on TV that he'll know I want to watch. I love him when he fills our home with music from a freshly strung guitar. I love him when he wakes me up to cuddle 10 minutes before our alarm goes off. I love him when he uses his words to encourage, empower, & edify others. I love him when he preaches - when he grips his Bible & raises his voice with conviction, with truth, with anointing. I love him when he calls my mom "mom" & tells me to always honor her.  I love him when he half smirks & rolls his eyes at something I do that he doesn't want to admit he thinks is cute.  I love him when he sticks up for his family - always loyal & brave in the midst of their trials. I love him when he proofs my articles & gives me insightful feedback. I love him when he offers me his t-shirts. I love him when he makes quick 7-11 runs for blue bell ice cream. I love him when he sends me cheeky emails at work. I love him when he mows our lawn on hot summer days - without a single complaint...and without a shirt. I love him when he reaches for my hand & prays powerful prayers over us & our families. I love him when he huffs and puffs at the TV screen during football games. I love him when he takes center stage & the microphone. I love him when we sit down for meals at our not-yet-painted table - a place of safety, sharing, conversation, & closeness. I love him when he supports my dreams, adopting them as his own even when I am afraid. I love him when I see him lead so well - so gifted, so full of wisdom, so honorable & virtuous. 

first christmas for mr. & mrs. rothwell

{so late, I know…but life doesn't slow down for a blog…nope}

On Christmas night, as we drove home to the Treehouse after the craziness of all the festivities, Ben reached over and squeezed my hand. Something about this gentle gesture, although normal, caused me to look away from my iPhone and focus on my husband.

"This was the best Christmas I've ever had." He said, his voice quivering just a bit with emotion (shhhh don't tell him I told you).

So what could top last year when he showed up out of nowhere...wearing a suit, walking with confidence across the room, surprising me with a diamond, and telling me he wanted me forever? I mean, that was pretty perfect as far as Christmases go.

This time around, it wasn't a huge life-altering moment. It was a thousand moments stringed together -- like popcorn garland wrapped around a tree. A year later and a wedding later, we welcomed Christmas with new family: his becoming mine and mine becoming his, which naturally meant getting more gifts! But it wasn't the material excess that made the sweetness of the season. It was all the seemingly nothings, that turned into seamless everythings. It was the melodies of christmas songs drifting us to sleep, the quiet mornings when sunlight woke us instead of alarms, the "12 dates of christmas" adventures, the illuminated tree becoming our night-light -- it was the continual counting of gifts filled with grace that made it a truly special holiday.

One noteworthy gift I will never forget was Christmas morning, 7:30am, just the two of us cross-legged on the floor in the living room, straight-up acting like children. Ben presented me with my {material} gifts, but really he was unknowingly giving me so much more than that. First, he wrapped all of them himself. A miracle. Second, he tagged them and wrote a descriptive word that correlated the contents beneath the wrapping paper to his perspective of my character (he is so gracious and generous!)

i.e.

to my organized wife (a planner)
to my stylish wife (cardigans)
to my sweet wife (chocolate!!!!)
to my intelligent wife (a book)
to my dazzling wife (glitzy arm candy)
to my blonde wife (knit headband)
to my cozy wife (slippers & leg warmers)

etc.

It was a small moment between Ben and myself when I read those tags, savoring the words even more than whatever I would find inside. It was a quiet, meek beginning to Christmas morning. Not huge and abundant and extravagant. But it was exactly what put us in the true spirit of giving. The kind of giving that doesn't cost anything. The giving that comes from the heart and not the wallet. It was merely life-giving words. From my husband. Written on DIY gift-tags (for goodness sake, I cut Christmas trees out of paint swatches from Home Depot…totally didn't spend a dime).

The Lord gives in this way. He paid the highest price for us to receive a FREE gift -- the gift of salvation from the bondage of sin, the gift of grace despite our messy selves. Just like Ben did for me, God generously offers us life-giving words that can transform us and help us overcome. These words are found in Galatians 5: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, & self-control. These words I will treasure for always. The Lord's gift I will guard in my heart forever. Christmas truly is about that gift -- God himself -- who gave Christmas morning a humble beginning. He left paradise to be with his creation. And he came not as a strong, abled man, but as a baby -- a small, dependent, fragile baby. Birthed so we could experience re-birth.

With reminders like that, I'd say I agree with Ben: this was the best christmas ever. Because I serve a bountiful God who never stops bestowing our lives with richness and joy.

i.e.

christmas 2012: so happy

christmas 2013: even happier

pajama party

Ever since this morning when I opened the front door to a yard full of glistening frost, stacks of leaves outlined in white ice, and Ben aggressively scraping my windshield, I knew it would be the perfect night to make a pot of extra spicy chili, wear flannel PJs, and cuddle up for a christmas movie.

So we did just that. And found ourselves smiling at each other and tickled by our little ability to somehow get our wardrobe choice to coincide with our movie choice.

Say a man and a woman both need something to sleep in and both go to the same men's pajama department. The man says to the salesman, "I just need bottoms," and the woman says, "I just need a top." They look at each other…  ~ The Holiday

hello, charlotte!

Ben is the lucky one. I never win anything, but he always scores big...like winning a 2 night stay at a Marriott in Charlotte, North Carolina.

So why not? We marked our calendars, ducked out of work early, and headed south for a weekend.

We didn't have much on the agenda, in fact, we were pretty boring while there. Our fun consisted of long walks through Freedom Park, afternoon drives in old neighborhoods with southern mansions shaded by tall oaks, two hours spent in wide-eyed wonder as first-timers at IKEA, a Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives tour organized by Ben Rothwell himself, antique mall shopping, and a visit to Elevation Church. 

We slept in every morning only to lazily trudge down to the full breakfast buffet, still in our sweats, of course. We ate oversized omelets. We leisurely sipped on coffee. With nowhere to be & nothing to do, we let conversation run wild, refilling our mugs repeatedly before finally neglecting the little table for two by the window. 

It was a quiet weekend. A weekend where I looked at the man in the driver's seat next to me or across the table from me or whose hand was in mine, and thought, yes, yes, yes, YES. A weekend where we decided to take the scenic route whenever we punched our next destination into the GPS. A weekend where we ate double dinners due to restaurant hopping. A weekend where we craned our necks and peered out windows to see all we could of this new place full of new experiences. A weekend where we drank the brisk air and embraced all the shades of fall. A weekend where we stopped the pace and centered on the peace. 

 A weekend of gifts, grace, gratitude.

"this gift will never let you down; this gift is waiting to be found"

This week I made an effort to list 20 gifts that have been flooding my life. Daily gifts that are discovered when I stop. recognize. embrace. and name. They may seem small -- insignificant to some -- silent, or simple. But to me they are beautiful and remind me that I have a beautiful life.

Here is the beginning of my goal to name one thousand gifts:

1. an earnest compliment from a sister
2. healthful meals after a salted caramel mocha splurge
3. my husband's oversized thermal shirts that fit just right when pulled over a pair of knees that are hugged to the chest on chilly nights at The Treehouse
4. a pot of chili simmering on the stove, announcing itself with aromas that escape the kitchen and roam throughout the house
5. my grandmother never, ever forgetting my birthday
6. $1 breakfast burritos on the weekends
7. boutique shopping where they sell the most darling dresses and give you your purchases in chevron gift bags adorned with ribbon bows
8. virginia mountains in the fall -- always hues of blue despite the exploding fire colors
9. listening to a whole album from start to finish and finding you love every song
10. the fall foliage that covers my parents' yard, taking me back to all those childhood afternoons spent begrudgingly raking crunchy leaves
11. scooping extra apple butter onto a toasted English muffin
12. that gravel road that takes me home -- the slowing of pace, the pops of rocks under the tires, and the tips of hundreds of trees bending to meet like an arch
13. french pressed coffee with mama, hearing about her dreams, and sharing an omelet on the patio of one of our favorite restaurants downtown
14. unable to resist biting into the reddest of apples while plucking them from trees at the orchard
15. walking through the door after a long day to find my husband cooking dinner amidst a cloud of steam in the kitchen
16. movie nights where we ditch the couch and spread blankets out on the living room floor
17. peeking into the oven (even though I know better) to see if the sugar on top of my homemade pie is sparkling yet
18. Ben's car parked in the driveway every day...still in total dreamland that we live together
19. birthday letters & cards in the mail
20. my favorite pair of strong arms sneaking around my frame from behind; a sweet embrace of interruption

*My quest for gratitude was inspired by the God-fearing, fascinating, and fellow canadian Ann Voskamp.  She is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, One Thousand Gifts. And it's been changing my life...one quiet moment at a time. Click HERE to hear a little tid-bit from the lady herself, click HERE to read her daily blog, and click HERE to purchase her book! 

summer 2013: "it's delightful when your imaginations come true, isn't it?"

This summer, one of my very biggest dreams came true. The same dream that echos in the hearts of every girl from about five years old onward. 

The opening scene of The Wedding Planner comes to mind-- a little girl donning a white veil is sitting in a sunlit room, surrounded by toys, with a Barbie and Ken also dressed up and ready for marriage. My sisters and I acted out that very same scene many times in our own barbie days. Weddings were the very best story line to play...we'd always beg my mom to buy us more ken dolls so more of our barbies could get married! I smile now....even then we knew that Barbie was better with Ken. I guess we had school-girl intuition that everyone desires to find a person who is willing to change their whole world and tailor it to yours, that single person who will sleep beside you, live beside you, and love no one besides you. 

It's just like the little girl from the movie says as she holds up the plastic bride & groom:

"From now on, he'll take care of you...and you'll take care of him. He'll make you big bologna sandwiches...and you'll buy him new socks and a white briefcase. And you'll live happily ever after. You're the luckiest girl in the world, Barbie."

On July 13, 2013, barbie matrimonies were long gone. I was the one wearing white. I was saying "yes" to a man who is tall, dark, and much more handsome than any ken doll. I had my own precious promises written in a mini molskine notebook and I was ready to declare them to the world. My overall vision for the day that first originated in my mind had been flushed out, sketched out, mapped out, and planned out. Every detail had been crafted. Every chandelier had been hung. The 7 month wedding planning journey was over and there I was, sitting in a salon chair getting my hair done by my talented sister, totally freaking out. I knew it was the beginning of a long, long day (as I had been told), but I knew it was also the beginning of much more. No, of everything. That day was when it ALL began. 

I need help from one of my most favorite books to summarize my point:

“But Anne with her elbows on the window sill, her soft cheek laid against her clasped hands, and her eyes filled with visions, looked out unheedingly across city roof and spire to that glorious dome of sunset sky and wove her dreams of a possible future from the golden tissue of youth's own optimism. All the Beyond was hers, with its possibilities lurking rosily in the oncoming years — each year a rose of promise to be woven into an immortal chaplet.” -- L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

My wedding day was the beginning of all my hopes, all my imaginations, all my plans, and all that God has promised to fulfill in my life! It was as if my story leading up to that point no longer mattered, suddenly everything that came after was much more exciting and enticing. I realized I am no longer out to be the great Destiny Morrow, but rather WE are out to be the great Rothwell Family. And all our goals and dreams are now shared. His are mine and mine are his. How amazing it is to have TWO people pushing you to become who you want, to pray like you should, to love like Christ loved, to cling to your passions, and dream up new, crazy dreams. So, taking a cue from my red-headed kindred spirit, I'm sitting with my chin in my palms, peering out the window of life, confident that all the beyond is ours. 

“All in all, it was a never-to-be-forgotten summer — one of those summers which come seldom into any life, but leave a rich heritage of beautiful memories in their going — one of those summers which, in a fortunate combination of delightful weather, delightful friends and delightful doing, come as near to perfection as anything can come in this world.” -- L.M. Montgomery, Anne's House of Dreams

"lately I've been losing sleep, dreaming about the things that we couldbe"

I'm a "little moments" person. I like to keep track of details that would otherwise be forgotten. Because they are the things that characterize a situation, a relationship, a place, an event, an encounter, even a lifetime. While on my honeymoon, I paused at these little moments and took mental snap shots. I wanted to remember the feelings, the soundtrack, the array of tastes, the minuscule adventures, the conversation exchanged, the moments when I thought: I cannot possibly love him any more than I do right now.

here are some little moments throughout my first week as a wife, the first week with my husband:

- ordering room service at the Williamsburg Inn, sprawled across the king size bed, eating the fanciest chicken ceasar salad ever made and talking about our favorite parts of our wedding day
- the congratulations greeting from all the hotel staff we encountered...it was as if management sent out a memo to every employee about Mr. and Mrs. Rothwell's wedding night stay
- our excitement upon discovering the heaters on the marble floors in the bathroom
- the cleaning lady who forgot to knock before entering (note to self: actually use that "do not disturb" sign)
- waking up to my brand new husband saying, "I'm going to draw you a bath" (I mean...come on...draw me a bath? Swoon)
- 40s music all the way to the Blue Ridge Mountains
- forgiving Ben even after the 5th time the seat warmers "magically" turned on and turned into a leather stove, practically cooking me
- pulling off for a quick restroom stop and instead getting distracted by a history book on the shelf about JFK's presidency; we're both standing there engrossed in our own copies...me reading about Jackie's fashion influence (she TURNED DOWN a Vogue internship in PARIS) and Ben reading about his politics and assassination...45 minutes later we're back on the road
- sleeping in the trees, under the stars, at our adorable Garden Cottage
- watching fireflies at dusk from the wrap around porch while munching on a pile of homemade chocolate chip cookies and sitting cross-legged in oversized rocking chairs
- my sweet husband saying, "I wish I could marry you every weekend"
- mouths watering as we perused the stash of provided menus, adamantly discussing where we would eat dinner each night
- cuddling during old romance movies and feeling Ben's body shake with laughter at Cary Grant's jokes
- antique shopping down Main St.
- several spontaneous Target trips for snacks & drinks to stock our mini-fridge
- devouring THE best wings ever from Bull & Bones restaurant, Ben completely unaware of the sauce smeared across his mouth as he hilariously announced his sudden yet undying love
- mischievously trading scrabble letters for every vowel I needed while Ben was transfixed by Friends episodes
- practically choking on popcorn as we laughed our way through the movie at the drive-in theater
- walking hand in hand through every city we visited, knowing we're husband and wife and wanting everyone else to know
- mid-day naps and afternoon tea
- killing time by sitting in the car and listening to our wedding music with our high tech headphones (which were a total splurge purchase)
- sharing the fruit & cheese board while fine dining....Ben automatically reaching for the Bleu Cheese (ew), me instinctively indulging in the Goat Cheese (mm), no questions asked
- pulling off at every overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway...getting out, standing side by side, but silent in awe
- Ben's predictable eye-roll upon my insisting we start a habit early and make the bed every single morning
- leftovers night where we microwaved the remainders from all the local restaurants we visited, then plopped down on the couch -- in our robes and wet hair from the hot tub -- to eat an eclectic dinner at 10:30pm
- horseback riding at sunset through fields of wildflowers between vast hills outlined in blue
- taking a pit stop in the hippiest of towns, Floyd, and then leaving
- Ben playing with my hair while reading a novel on his ipad...me too much in dreamland to so much as even pick up a book
- balcony lunch overlooking the mountain silhouettes at Chateau Morissette Winery
- waking up every morning with this giddy feeling because: a) the man of my DREAMS was lying next to me (without a shirt) and b) we had a whole day of endless possibilities and beautiful moments to seize
- our private hot tub...ooo la la!!!

- the scent of Ben's deodorant, which is advertised as: wilderness, open air, and freedom

- the scent of Ben's spicy sweet cologne drifting up to the loft every time he used it

- okay, okay, the overall scent of MAN and knowing this was HIS smell and I would forever smell it
- eating dinner as early or as late as we wanted...having NO agenda...but aiming to at least arrive at restaurants before they closed (not always a success, oops)

- watching the food network (of course. I should have known) and chef Ben explaining the "dos" and "don'ts" of "Chopped"
- shopping at boutiques where my husband became my personal stylist who beamed and bragged whenever he found items he just knew I would love

- Ben's heaven-sent patience as I entered and exited dressing rooms numerous times

- his (sometimes comical) effort to give valuable insight on every outfit

- scouting for good coffee shops while on the go
- tasting all the sauces at every restaurant and guessing which one the other would like best

- climbing the ladder to the lofted bed and making Ben so nervous when I did it in the dark

- the charm of the slanted ceiling and floral wallpaper...noticeably more enchanting when the light of the morning beamed through the window
- the pink Hydrageas outside our front door that reminded me of our wedding every time we came and went
- Ben's steady hand there to help me at every steep part of the trail to the Cascade Falls

- sitting in front of the 66 ft waterfall, eating sandwiches with guacamole, feeling accomplished from our 4 mile hike, and relishing the freezing mist paired with the crashing sound of water

- rolling out of bed every morning, barely making it to 9am breakfast, but determined to do so because it was 3 courses, with candlelight, and savory recipes, and served on gorgeous china, and unlimited coffee
- deciding on the hot tub before our swim suits could dry from swimming at the Aquatic Center...nevertheless, we found ourselves squealing and shivering in our damp suits all the way to the hot tub
- mexican food date night where I cried and said between chips and guac: "you've just been the perfect husband...literally, the perfect husband." And you smiled at me tenderly, but I know you were actually just trying not to laugh at me

PS. Just realized how much of that mentioned food. Oh well...y'all know who I married...