The 4th of July

Last night, Paul and I went to the Daily Grill in Ada for the first time. For those of you that haven't been there, it is right next to the Mud Room and I recommend it for the quiet, peaceful ambiance and the outdoor deck that overlooks the Thornapple and the gardens they grow their produce in. We also watched the movie Away We Go. Unlike the Kid Rock concert we are about to go to, or the water balloon fight we are going to attend at Rosa Parks Circle today, the night was calm, quiet and reflective.
Because it is our anniversary, naturally I started thinking about our 11 years of marriage. We have been through some serious stuff. We have bought two houses, had three kids, had to put down our family dog, watched my parents move 650 miles away, completed a Flint internship, graduated from several things, lost our nephew, a dear friend and some grandparents. We have learned to endure and be patient (two long stints with bedrest and unpredictability...). We have settled into a little bit of a life rhythm too. The phrase, "it's always SOMETHING," sums up my life for sure!
While I certainly could not put on an internet blog all of the struggles and fun we have had together, it is certainly important to know that we have had A LOT of fun!! Simple things like taking the kids to somewhere none of us has been, and experiencing it together are my favorite. It doesn't have to be a pirate ship ride or an American Girl outing(though how incredible, right?). Watching Adam or Abby on stage, TV, or in our backyard usually just cracks me up! I laugh so hard at them--which is mostly why I am awful at posting pics/ writing down memories/etc.--I'm just having too much damn fun living it! Sweet little Charley is a whole other realm of interest. He is my little cling-on, so happy and carefree. It is insanely funny how parents treat "the baby". With the other 2, we would rub their backs in their bed and wait a minute for them to go back to bed. Charley has the innate ability to push Paul out of bed. At least once a week, Paul will wake up on the couch. No complaints, just the way it is....and if he wants ice cream at 7:30 am, I have been known to oblige without thinking. Moms don't have favorite kids, but I am not sure why the rules have been so lax with him...
My point is this. In the 17 years we have been together, there have been days that Paul pushes me to my breaking point. If you are reading this, you undoubtedly know about some of those times that he has taken on "turd" status in my eyes. Yet, it all works for us. We don't have it all together--you can't have two full time jobs, three kids, and two dogs and do that. But we try everyday. So, if you want to know how I am spending my anniversary...we are leaving the messy house for an afternoon and evening, participating in a community waterballoon fight, and watching the fireworks in GR. I am sure we will chalk up a sidewalk somewhere. Adam will be too loud. Abby will dance to the music, and cry at that Lee Greenwood song with me. I hope Charley sings "Halleluia" everytime a firework goes up (like he did in Ionia), and just like always, I will sit by Paul and quietly relish all that we have together.