21 Months and Counting!

We had possibly the strangest monthly anniversary celebration we've had yet...this week.

Tuesday was our 21 month anniversary, and our first day back to reality after the lovely Labor Day weekend I told you about yesterday. No more leisurely days. Back to a schedule.

I've had people ask me why we celebrate these anniversaries every month. It's much more my gig than it is Ryan's, but he's a great sport about it. Why do I want to do it? Well, part of it is because I waited for stinking ever to get married, and now I want to celebrate the daylights out of the thing. And too, if just looking at the news tells you anything at all, it's that we have no promise of tomorrow. If something were to happen to either one of us, I would want the other one to look back with NO regrets about this marriage we have. To have beautiful memories of a marriage well celebrated and fully lived.

And so it's important to me to celebrate...somehow, some way, every month on the second day of the month. Usually if that day falls on a weekend or holiday, we'll go out and do something fun, but it's not uncommon for us to celebrate at home - watching TV and grilling out.

It is, however, unusual for us to celebrate by fixing plumbing.

And by we, of course, I mean Ryan. 

We are still working on selling Ryan's house. As a quick update, we are ever, EVER so hopeful that an end is in sight. We're holding our breath and praying fervently that the offer placed in July will finally be completed this month...thank you SO much to those of you who have prayed along with us on this long, long journey.} He told me over the weekend that there was some repair work he wanted to do in the garage before the house sells, and Tuesday was the night for it.

Enter operation: take the anniversary on the road.

First up? Dinner!! Ryan's friend Randy came over to help him work, and I have a friend from high school that lives in Greentown, so I asked her if she wanted to hang out for a bit that evening while the guys worked, and she said yes! On my way to Greentown, I stopped to pick up a pizza and breadsticks...

We all congregated on the back deck and chowed down on pizza and leftover Sheet Cake and had an anniversary party {plus two guests} while I got ceremoniously eaten by mosquitoes.

After dinner, I packed up all the food {hello, mosquitoes, this girl does NOT share pizza!!!} and Ryan and Randy got to work on the repairs:

And Amber and I went for a long walk!

I wanted to surprise Ryan with our traditional anniversary coffee , so I went to Subway {coffee options are limited in this town} and got coffee for two!

It's possible that when I arrived back at the house, I arrived in a rather inopportune moment...right in the middle of things not going well. Ryan met me at the door with sweat pouring off his face, and there I stood with piping hot coffee. WHOOPSIE!!!

About 9:00, they decided they needed more parts from the store, so off we went to the date destination of choice!!

We got back to the house, and while they finished up the repairs, I did my workout video {from my phone in an empty room} - and then we posed for our official photo:

Twenty-one months ago, we looked SLIGHTLY more polished than this. This day was much more real-life. But we did our best to celebrate and enjoy a night "together" while still being responsible adults!

Thanks, Ryan, for putting up with my {insane to some} monthly celebrations and for your dedication and continued hard work to make this home all it can be for the people who want to buy it. I love you!! You are an inspiration and example to me...your big-haired, picnic-party-loving wife.