8 Years is Just the Beginning

Eight years ago on June 8th, Eric and I said "I do" and shared our first kiss. On one hand I feel like, 8 years? Can it really be possible we've been married that long? Seems like just yesterday! On the other, we complete each other so perfectly that it doesn't seem like there was a time when he wasn't in my life. For the past three weeks now my love has been surprising me with little things to say I love you and Happy Anniversary. First, he handed me a receipt for a subscription to my favorite Russian home decor magazine, Мой Уютный Дом. Then last week, on the 4th, he brought me the most beautiful cream colored roses and tickets to the symphony. On Tuesday, we went out for a couple hours to McDonalds and had a chance to just sit and talk while Valentina watched the girls. Not only did we talk about our past 8 years of marriage, but we also had fun talking about our past three years here in Ukraine. We have had the privilege of meeting so many people and hear their stories of oppression during communism. (Our personal favorite is one a middle-aged man named Vladamir told us. He said that he use to attend the outdoor church meetings in the woods. He told us how the secret service would come and break up the services. Then he added with a proud smile, "but they couldn't catch me.") While we were out, Eric bought me a set of cups so no more drinking out of old glass jars! Later when we returned home we had bubbles swirling all around us, just like some couple have on their wedding day. Not just any bubbles either. HUGE bubbles made from two large rug beaters. (My camera is "out-of-commission" until I remember to charge some batteries for it, so I used Eric's phone. Wasn't able to catch any of the big bubbles because his camera has a delay on it, but thought you might enjoy seeing some of our anniversary bubbles anyways and our cute congratulators...is that a word? Oh, well. I'm pregnant. Not only pregnant, but VERY pregnant, and I think that there is some type of rule allowing grammar/spelling mistakes for pregnant women, right?)

And I still have Saturday night tickets to a Mozart concert! Who says you can only celebrate marriage on one day?

8 years and still honeymooning.