12 years

For our 12th Anniversary Mark surprised me with a night downtown! 

We stayed at the Westin and had a beautiful room on the top floor. 

We checked in at three and the first thing I wanted to do was take a nap! A kid free, quiet afternoon in a cozy bed! It was heavenly! (I didn't know Mark had snapped this pic of me while I was sleeping!) It's amazing how just a 1 hour power nap can do such wonders for the soul! Ha! 

Then the concierge brought us up some complimentary nuts, an apple, and a fancy bottle of water. It was a nice afternoon snack! 

Next we got gussied up and headed out to Ophelia's for dinner. We sat outside in a little rooftop courtyard, ate, drank, and chatted. And finished with an amazing vanilla cheesecake in a mason jar. Delish! 

And the BEST part of the weekend was…

WICKED! 

I have wanted to see this show for forever! And it did not disappoint! 

We had excellent seats, just a few rows up and center stage! The story is amazing, the voices were outstanding, and there were parts that gave me chills! Just loved everything about it! (Ashley Parker Angel as Fiyero was also the cherry on top! Ha! He was dreamy to look at and watching him on stage brought me back to my many, many Giddings Girls O-town jam sessions!)

After the show, through some work connections, Mark arranged for us to have a backstage tour as well. This was super fun!  

We got to take a photo with The Wizard! We saw all of the costumes, learned many backstage tips and tricks, and got to meet the actress who played Elfoba, the Wicked Witch of the West. It was such a special time. 

After stalking a sneak peek (or two) of Ashley Parker Angel as he left the theatre, we walked back to our hotel and had a complimentary glass of wine at the bar. 

We had some really nice perks this weekend! I am so grateful for Mark's job and colleagues who graciously were able to secure our hotel, tickets, tour, and other little treats for us free of charge! It's a whole different world for this Kindergarten teacher, but it was so nice to be spoiled for the weekend! 

We slept in and then we were given a free Anniversary breakfast as well.

YUM! 

Then we checked out, walked around downtown a bit, grabbed a coffee, and enjoyed a few last moments just Mark and I. 

It was less than 24 hours away, but felt so refreshing! It was so fun to be able to hang out without the kids, to enjoy adult conversation, to laugh, and to reflect on the past 12 years together! We are so grateful for all the blessings God has given us. Yes, we bicker and argue. I worry, he doesn't. We've moved and had job changes. I yell, and he never talks. We've had health concerns and family drama. But through it all, we've had each other. Best friends through life's ups and downs. And there is still no one else I'd rather be with. We drink box wine, eat too much take out, and watch T.V. in bed every night. But I love the life we've created together. And I am so grateful God made our paths cross at Calvin 16 years ago! 

I love you Mark! Happy Anniversary! 

P.S. And a HUGE thank you to Mark's parents for watching the boys for us so we could have this time together! You guys are wonderful and made it such a fun and memorable weekend for the boys too: the pool, IHOP, a sleepover, donuts, and more! We love you!