An Anniversary

  Today happens to be my 29th wedding anniversary.  Twenty nine years ago life took me down an unexpected path when I fell in love with Bill - enough to elope within months of our first date. Nobody knew of our plans or marriage until after the fact and  I wouldn't change a thing.

 This is a photo at my parents' home just after we were married in the next town and came to give them the news:

 

 

 

   Happy anniversary Bill. Je t'aime beaucoup!

             " Immature love says: 'I love you because I need you'. Mature love says
                         'I need you because I love you.' "    Erich Fromm


 An addendum to this previously prepared post:
  Typically we don't go out for dinner or exchange gifts or anything, we just celebrate at home with a nice dinner and champagne so there are no stresses or expectations or disappointments. I know how much he loves me regardless of how practical he is. BUT, once in awhile he totally throws me off guard and blows me away with a surprise, along with such  thoughtfulness and love that I'm moved to tears. That happened today. It began with a fairly big wrapped box and what I found inside was this beautiful water fountain I had (well, we both did) so admired in a local shop months ago. They didn't have any available at the time and even the display one was sold. This piece had so captured me and I thought about it a lot, not to mention I love the sound of trickling water in our sitting room and the fountain we had had broken.

  This was taken with a flash. The water is cascading down the steps and a light is shining from a bowl he's holding. I really don't know much about all the symbolism and I must research it but something about it took my breath away.
  And here it is without the flash:

  This is a closeup: if anyone can shed any light on this statue and symbolism please let me know.

  And this wasn't all I received. Bill bought me a special little soapstone box inlaid with abalone from a fair trades shop in Delaware...not done yet...in it was a note asking me to drinks and dinner at a really nice restaurant in town which has excellent food and service - a place we only get to for special occasions once in a great while.  The "darling" is an ongoing joke we have . We both love the old 30's and 40's movies and they're always calling each other "dahling" so we started doing the same.

 So, after 29 years he can still surprise me and move me to tears. I think we'll make it. :)