The 7th Year

On Monday, Andrew and I celebrated 7 years of marriage.

As our anniversary date drew closer, I wondered how we would celebrate it.

Years ago, my city girl upbringing would have assumed dinner at a fancy restaurant and a symphony to follow.

My parent's marriage showed me simply to be happy in each other's company alone on a date. I remember them coming home with sparkles in their eyes after many an anniversary date.

And time together and seven years of marriage, I simply wanted a date where we could just be together. And maybe if it worked out, do something we normally wouldn't have time for.

Little did I know, Andrew planned to surprise me with just that.....

He notified me not to make dinner. (first cause of joy, no cooking!) When I asked him what I should wear...."like a dress or mosquito repellent?"

He said, "Mosquito repellent."

I assumed we would go fishing or something of that nature.

No, he was way more romantic and creative, although I would have loved fishing just as much.

He took me to dinner and after dinner, we pulled up to a shed where one of these:

I (not sure why) have always LOVED four wheel riding!

Taped to the seat was a white envelope and a hand written note that started something like this,

"My Maria, In the Bible, 7 is the perfect number, it is the number of completion...." and went on to say more wonderful things that made my heart soar.

He then pulled out blankets, dessert and drinks and strapped them to the front and we rode out into the country.

We pulled up to a spot like this: 

We laid out the blankets and took in the evening.

 Sometimes quiet, or sometimes talking about our marriage, we sat together looking out into the sea of land and sky.

The country has its own music, rustling trees, grass blowing over, and the sweet sound of silence.

I thought about one of my favorite quotes on love, "Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but looking outward, together, in the same direction."  - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

So I got my dinner and symphony you could say, but a version that my heart appreciated so much more.

 Maybe because we have been married 7 years, maybe because I've grown to love the wide open spaces, or maybe because spending time alone with him on an adventure is my love language, but it turned out to be one of the best and romantic dates Andrew could have given me. (Second to surprise tickets to Phantom of the Opera in Atlanta after getting engaged ;)  



Truly, the more years we spend together, the closer our hearts learn to understand and love the other, the more I pray to God I can fulfill my promise to help get him to Heaven. THANK YOU GOD, thank you a million lifetimes for Andrew!