Eventful

So there were two fairly significant life events this week, and (as was my fear when starting this blog) I did not have time to post about them (Like Vivi darling, "Who has time to write a memoir? I'm still LIVING my memoir.") But to the point--2 events:
1. Chad and I celebrated our nine year wedding anniversary. I posted the quote from our church program on Facebook ("If you live to be 100, I want to live to be 100 minus one day--because then I'll never have to live a day without you." Winnie the Pooh) and was showered with memories and comments about the fated day--February 24, 2001. I also posted a photo of us, laughing and drinking beer in our wedding finery, and was struck by, like they always say--how thin and young we looked. Even though it seems like it could have been yesterday, we've crammed a lot of living into 9 short years. On my card to Chad, I noted some of our stats:
4 beautiful babies, 5 houses, 2 apartments, 1 dog, 9 cars. Chad commented that the next nine years will probably seem boring by comparison. To be sure--we have been very very busy. I have never really doubted my decision to marry this man, and though we find it hard to like each other every minute of every day, I am optimistic that our love will stand the test of time. I would choose him all over again and I'm grateful for the life we've built. I read once that the older we get, the more we need people who knew us when we were young. You only get to fall in love for the first time once. I'm glad my first love, my only love, is living by my side day by day. Here's to the next 90!
2. The second major life event this week was the birth of my new nephew--JohnPaul Giles Markham on February 23. JohnPaul is the second child and first son for my younger brother Brad and his lovely wife Laura. JP evens out the Markham grandkids at 4 girls and 4 boys (my 3 girls and one boy, Carrie's two boys, now Brad's matched pair). We are a big, boisterous group when we all come together, and our noisy, full families are a great source of strength and joy for me. We got to meet JohnPaul on Thursday night. I was a little shocked to rediscover (more on this in a later post, I'm sure) that my insatiable baby itch may, in fact, be sated. I watched the Queen toddle around (yes, more on that later, too), smiling her huge, endearing grin and snuggled someone else's baby without the least hint of longing. He is a healthy, handsome little fellow and I am anxious to get to know him better over the next weeks and months. Welcome to the family, little man.