11 Years and Five Kids Later…

Well Afony, I’ve got absolutely no money to get you anything for our anniversary.  What’s a wife supposed to do? 

Dedicate a whole blog post to you, of course!  This is it, Baby! 

Oh, did that sound weird to you, too?  It felt a little funny sayin’ it.  I don’t use cutesie little pet names such as Baby, Babe, Honey, Dear, Sweetie, Muffin, Tootsie, Sugarplum, Darlin’, or anything of the sort, EVER!  You are my Afony, Mr. Jameson, or Mr. Head. 

{If you are not Anthony but are reading this, I know what you’re thinking… Well, not really but I can imagine what you’re thinking.  And I’ll answer your thoughts by saying, YES!  I really am that awesome!}

I know just what you need.  Because after 11 years of marriage, I’m bound to know a thing or two about what you want. 

A TRIP!  {Call it what you want… vacation, getaway, jaunt… it’s a trip}

But seeing as how our finances are screaming a loud resounding NO to a ‘real’ trip right now, let’s take a trip down memory lane, shall we? 

I remember it like it was yesteryear.

 

The phone rang {the real, cordless phone… not a cell phone.  We had real live home phones back then, remember?}.  I answered, it was your sister.  She had overheard me mention at church to someone that I would be dating over the next two years while ‘my’ missionary was gone.  She lived in my ward at the time with her hubby and kids.   

She asked for my mom and I assumed she had a scheduling conflict with babysitting my little bro.  But instead, after speaking with my mom for a brief moment, my mom handed me the phone after saying something like “Yeah, Brooke and her friends are going somewhere together tonight.  She can invite him along." 

I looked up in horror!  {I mean, what if he was a nerd?  What if I didn’t like him?}  GREAT!  So, I reluctantly took the phone. 

Me:  Hello?

You:  Uuuuuuhhhh, hello?

Me:  Hi. **awkward silence** So, my friends and I are going to Classic Skating tonight.  Did you want to come? 

You:  Uuuuuhhhh, sure. 

And that was about the extent of our conversation.  Remember?  Of course I had to get your address to come pick you up.  You didn’t have a car yet.  Being a newly returned missionary meant that you were still on the lookout for the ‘perfect’ one.  Wait!  Am I talking about girls or cars?  Now I’m all confused!  Probably both.

Before picking you up, I had already prepped my friend {who was ordered to ride with me} to make this as non-dateish as possible.  She was coming to the door with me and everything.  I mean, I had a missionary!  I couldn’t go falling for another guy only 10 days after he left!  Besides, I was absolutely positive you were going to be a geek.  And I didn’t want you thinking we had something going after only a phone conversation and a Classic Skating jaunt. 

And then when I saw you… I couldn’t even look at you!  You were absolutely NOT the geek I had envisioned.  The nerd you were supposed to be was a dark and handsome guy!  I would say tall but let’s face it, you’re really not that tall.  Dark and handsome? Yes.  Tall?  Not so much.  Not that you’re short… 5’10” (or just under) is perfect!  Am I giving you a complex yet?  So sorry!

Anyway, as we walked outside, I introduced you to my car. Do you remember what I said?  “This is my car.” 

Wasn’t that profound?  You knew right then and there that I was ‘the one’ didn’t you?  I’ve never heard you admit it but I’m sure of it.  Who wouldn’t fall for me with a line like that?  Seriously.

And remember what you asked me while we were at Classic?  After you had to push me around on those rented roller blades… {and you thought YOU’D be the one out of practice}.  You said, “So, tell me something about yourself.” 

My answer was, “I have a dog.”

{Yes, I’m surprised he asked me out again, too.}

So at that point, you had been introduced to my car that had no name and you knew that I had a dog.  Also, seemingly, with no name.  But I couldn’t let you really get to know me.  Remember?  The missionary?

I remember all my friends and I were talking while you were changing into your shoes and we thought you were so good looking.  Not the guys, they didn’t think you were good looking.  Just thought I’d clarify.  Thank goodness for that, right?

Well, that’s the intro to our time together.  Do you remember it? 

The time following all of that was interesting but fun. 

Remember your essay?  The one I made you write about the dream you had.  Or how about the time Penny {one of Anthony’s sisters} farted in front of us the very first time I met her… on purpose!  That was… surprising.  And hilarious.  I remember how embarrassed you were. 

Do you remember how our tummies would rumble?  I swear you’re the only person in the world whose tummy growled as much as mine.  All. The. Time!

I remember eating popcorn and drinking ice water every time we watched a movie.  And falling asleep in your arms.

Zuka Juice and walks in the park… 

OH OH OH!  And remember the time I fell asleep and FARTED!  Ummm, yeah, that was embarrassing!  Remember how mad I was when you told me?  If you hadn’t told me, I never would have known and I would never have been embarrassed.  But instead, here I am sharing it with the whole blogosphere!  Remember, I’m human.  Humans fart.

Remember our first kiss?  I remember it.  Your mom called… another embarrassing moment!

One of my favorite things that you used to say was “Remember…. Anthony loves you.”  Always right before you would leave.  LOVED THAT!

And then there was that car of yours….. the Eagle Talon.  I had a love/hate relationship with that car.  You drove like a maniac in that thing!  So glad you don’t drive like that anymore.  And even more glad that you HATE when you see ‘idiots’ driving the way you used to.  Does that make you an idiot?  Just kiddin’.  Maybe just a ‘former’ idiot?

Your goatee was one of my favorite things!  I love that look on you.



Do you remember how many times we broke up?  Me neither.  Too many to count!

Remember proposing?  The third time?  That’s when I finally said yes… after a few days.  I was a hard sell!  Sorry about that. 

Then there was a wedding…

{We were married in the Salt Lake Temple but I don’t have any pics on cd of that.  They’re all just printed… darn it!}

What a fun day!  We still have people tell us that it was the most fun {not funnest, because that’s not a word} wedding they’ve ever been to.  Still!  I would have to agree.  Our DJ was the best!  And we’re pretty cool, too. ;) 

{I’m having a hard time with the ‘most fun’ thing.  Seems wrong but I know ‘funnest’ is NOT a word… even spell check says so.} 

Along our eleven year journey {12 1/2 if you count the dating time}, there have been five beautiful pregnancies {not that I was beautiful, just the pregnancy} and five perfect children! 

We’ve had our ups and downs.  Financially, mostly downs but in every other way, mostly ups.  And those up times are what gets us through the down times.  In a way the down times bring us closer both as a couple and as a family. 

If I could go back and change one thing, I don’t think I would.  You mean the world to me and I love you more than ever!  Looking forward to many more years to come. 

Love you, Mr. Head!