12 years of Marriage. Then and Now.

Today, hubby DJ and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary.  Such a day is always a good time to reminisce about the past and reflect on what our lives together have become. Here's a comparison of then (newly wed, eager to fulfill our dreams together) and now (3 kids, dog, cat and a mortgage)...

Then - waking up in each others arms, lazily reading the paper and sipping premium coffee.
Now - waking up at 6am with the puppy in between us, licking my face, wanting to be let out for a tinkle and poop, using the paper to mop up any overnight accidents.

Then - gazing into each others eyes, calmly discussing our dreams of the future.
Now - a quick hug in the kitchen, recalling our wonderful wedding day, while the puppy chews on her squeaky toy and the SQUEAK boys chase SQUEAK each other around SQUEAK the living SQUEAK room.

Then - a day trip to New York City, strolling around a museum, arm in arm, window shopping on 5th Ave
Now - a trip to the county fair with kids in tow, looking at pigs, cows and their corresponding poo, cheering on the boys in their respective Big Wheels races.

Then - cocktails, a romantic dinner in a trendy New York restaurant, intimate conversation in candlelight, dessert at our favorite bakery in Little Italy
Now - dinner for 5 at the local Italian chain with our conversation ranging from "don't jump on the chairs! get up off the dirty floor! get your feet off the table!" to the boys' screams of "I dropped my silly bands!  I think there's poop on the light! Iain dropped his Big Wheels medal in the toilet!"

And I bought my husband a thoughtful card, expressing my love for him.  But the dog ate it before I could give it to him.  Really, she did.

What a difference 12 years makes.

Happy Anniversary Dear Husband!