Nine is a Good Number

Cats have nine lives.  Graduation was double nines.  My mother is the 9th child of her family.  Three groups of three is nine, And...

I've been married nine years.

I read a quote today and would like to share...

"When I was getting ready to marry my husband, my mother told me that I would fall in and out of love during my marriage.  It was normal and I should stick with it.  Always fall back in love with your husband.  Sometimes the cycle is short-hours or minutes-and sometimes it is weeks or months.  But I have found this to be so true; I always fall back in love with my husband!  Thirty-two years and seven kids later." -Julie Goodman

There have certainly been times in nine years when I have loved Jed more than others.  For example: every time I have a newborn and Jed awakes to see me ominously glaring at him through one sleep-deprived eye plotting his demise.  However, the "in-love" moments greatly outnumber the "plotting his demise" moments.  The last month we have been on a roller coaster of housing fun and amid one of my outbursts of frustration Jed reminded me, "It's okay, you still have me."  It's true.  I have him and that is what makes everything all right.  The most important thing in life is still mine. Jed is my protector, supporter, confidant and friend.  I am grateful to have him.  I can be crazy angry with him and still sleep as close to him as I can get.  That is how much I love him-his evil presence is comforting-even in battle.

Thank you Jed for...
-bringing me flowers because it's "friday and holy crap we survived the week"
-handing over the chocolate
-changing all of the week o' stomach plague diapers
-listening to my long and (mostly) crazy tirades, ideas and reminders
-supporting my opinions even when they may or may not be reasonable
-blessing my children
-being fun
-making me laugh even when "$%#& gets real" (your words, not mine, I'm innocent)
-agreeing with me when I tell you how lucky you are to have me
-understanding me
AND
-all of those man chores: smearing pb on the mouse trap, driving in the snow, smashing hairy spiders, lighting the pilot light,  hanging off of the roof to hang the Christmas lights, sticking your hand down the garbage disposal, reassuring my over-active imagination during the night and the many more things I am incapable or refuse to do.

Happy anniversary to us.  On to a decade.