Five Years and Counting

Mark and I have now been married for 5 whole years!

We decided to go out the weekend before our anniversary since it fell on a Wednesday this year.

I really wanted to do something amazing this year.

It's the big 5, kinda a mile stone, I think.

But I knew Mark would want to keep it low key.

I thought about pressing the issue, trying to get him to make a big deal.

But then I had a thought, it's not just my anniversary, it's also his anniversary.

Getting married in December means that we don't really do gifts, but this year I decided my gift to him would be not throwing a fit, not forcing him to do what I want.

I would be chill and relaxed and let him decide what to do.

So we decided to do dinner and a movie.

Come the day we were to go out we still hadn't come up with a place to eat.

I was starting to get bugged at the lack of plan, at the lack of preparation, at the lack of making it a big deal.

I'm not going to lie, I wanted to explode at him.

Five years ago I had planned the most perfect day for us and he couldn't return the favor to me even on a small scale.

I held my tongue and just kept telling him it doesn't need to be fancy, let's just go to Panda Express, let's just DECIDE!

So he did.

He picked this Vietnamese restaurant in West Valley.

For those who aren't familiar with SLC, West Valley is what I call the ghetto. 

I'd never eaten Vietnamese food and the only oriental food that I know I like is American Chinese.

I eventually said OK because I knew if we kept trying to figure it out I would explode and my gift to him would be ruined.

I was quiet the whole way there still scared I might loose focus and go crazy on him.

We got there and sure enough it was in the same parking lot as a cash loan place and across the street from a tire place.

Not the makings of a good anniversary dinner.

But we walked inside and it wasn't West Valley.

It was kinda nice.

We were seated at a nice table.

It wasn't what I expected at all.

Maybe it was because my expectations were so low, but the service was good, the atmosphere was nice and the food was delicious.

I quickly changed my attitude and found myself falling for Mark all over again.

Even after 5 years I still don't trust him in some ways.

I expect him to act a certain way because he acts that way in other areas.

I forget the biggest reason I fell in love with him in the first place.

And that reason is his ability to surprise me.

Others that know Mark or rather think they know him think he is incredibly predictable.

And he can be at times.

When he isn't predictable I find myself mystified and asking myself "who is this man?"

He is Mark Ellis, the man I have loved for 6 years, been married to for 5, and the father of my child for 3 years.

After dinner we went to see The Hobbit and it was awesome, we both loved it.

We lifted the arm rest and cuddled the whole way through, something we haven't done since we were dating.

It turned out to be a wonderful night.

I tell this story so I can remember how silly I am, and so I can remember our weird dynamic.

I stress about things, I plan things, and Mark stays calm.

He thinks he's not good at making plans or even being romantic but he is if given the opportunity.

This is us.

We may have a weird relationship but it's ours and I love it.

Happy Anniversary Mark,

Here's to another five on our way to eternity.