On a cold February morning nine years ago yesterday, my husband and I were married. (Might I add VERY cold). I keep thinking of the people who surrounded us on our wedding day, some getting up by four or five in the morning to make it to our early morning wedding. Friends I hadn't seen in years, family aquaintances that I had stayed in touch with but hadn't seen in years and family--endless family members including my husband's 90 year old grandmother made the trip to see us married.

Nine years ago I thought I knew what love was--but I really had no idea. To me back then, it was just a word. Through the years it has become our life line. To say "I love you" to each other each morning as we leave for the day or come home. To give each other a "secret" hug in the kitchen away from the kids and their "eeeew's" and say "I love you." To say "I love you" as we cry softly over our newly born child. To say "I still love you and always will" when we are going through hard times. "I love you" has grown to have such a deeper meaning in the past nine years. And I'm sure it will continue to do so. Love isn't just a word. It's the good, the bad, and even the heart breaking moments in life that help us to grow stronger.

Unfortunately, I'm not so great at remembering our anniversary. No, this isn't Scott speaking, it's actually Traci here. Yup. The wife. (I know, men are secretly cheering everywhere wishing they had a wife like me who can't remember anything. It's not all good men, I promise. Not remembering everything causes my husband great annoyance at times).

Last night my husband kept urging after dinner to get ready. Thinking he was nuts--the kids needed to get to bed, do homework, etc. Once we had actually piled us all in, we headed out and Scott said to the kids, "Anyone remember what today is?"

My little girl said, "Parent Teacher Conference--and the book fair!!"

My little boy said, "Mom and I played soccer today. I went to school today."

My little girl then piped up again and said, "No, no, no. We have to go to bed early because tomorrow is early day at school. Blah."

And then he said, "No, NO! It's a special day for Mom and Dad."

To which I said, "Really? Today isn't our anniversary is it?" Grab phone out of pocket. Look at calendar. "No honey, we got married on the fourth. February 4th. It's easy to remember."

Eye rolls and exasperated sigh from the husband.

We enjoyed dessert out as a family. The kids were a disaster having to had to wake up early that morning. Common days at school are the pits. But I honestly don't think that my husband realized that at that moment I could've thought of a better anniversary present than sitting around the table with the people that I love and care for the most. It was nice to snuggle up against my husband and enjoy a family moment together. These are the things that I will one day remember the most.

And as we crawled into bed last night together before falling asleep, we were greeted by the other part of the family--an 80 lb lab and a 15 lb mini schnauzer who thought there was entirely too much room on the bed and decided to join us. As the dogs and the husband fell asleep I rolled out of bed to check on our sleeping kids and then came back to bed to send the dogs to their beds downstairs. I was greeted by the heavy breathing of the two dogs and my husband. My lab had permanently molded herself to my husband and had a huge grin on her face. (She's quite attached to him). What a great life I've got. Bed stealing dogs and all.

Happy Anniversary Honey!