We began celebrating on Friday night with dinner out at one of our favorite local dining spots, Austins. It has both delicious food and great entertainment if you sit outside and watch all of the "downtownies" meander around. Usually you will hear a horse clip-clopping down the street doing his job giving buggy rides. Occassionally you can hear live music, or at the very least a loud stereo from a car stopped at the red light. There are people of all shapes and sizes, some dressed scantilly because it is summer, others more covered in their appearance yet raucous with their tattos and peircings. Bicycles whiz around semi-polite pedestrians and kids hold tightly to parent's hands in order to steer clear. I love being around the Friday night crowd. Everyone is a little more spiffed up, a tad more relaxed, and you know that if you decided to stay out real, real late there would probably be a place open to accomodate you. We had a really yummy dinner, beginning with our favorite appetizer. Steaks arrived soon after filling our tummys up to their happy place. After dinner, we walked around and peeked into shop windows. We made our way over to a new fabric store that is filled with bright colors and so many fantastic fabrics that were just crying out for me to touch and feel them. So as not to disappoint, I followed my eyes to stroke each lovely fold. Patrick was practicing patience as I complimented all of the beatiful fibers enjoying the feel of the soft cotten in my hands. I didn't want to ask too much of him, so I said I would come back later (and I WILL!). We finished up our night with a slice of dessert at Whole Foods and a rented movie. Saturday we had plans to go to Denver and spend some time down there as well as to pick up some vintage theater chairs that I had bought on-line. I was so excited to get the chairs and have been planning for days where I would put them. As the time got closer to go pick up the chairs, my excitement just kept growing! I wasn't disappointed - they are absolutely awesome!! I'm so glad that they are now sitting in my hallway. Today included a lazy morning, church, helping a friend out with yardwork, and time tonight celebrating 3 family member's "special day" (sometimes we batch them depending on who is home). Maddie and I rode our bikes up to Target to grab a couple of things. The mosquitos were quite hungry, and we tried to out-ride them. My itchy arms would indicate that we did not ride quite fast enough. We had fun being together though, so it was worth it. The kids are outside in the backyard, sleeping in the tent. I do not know how they fit everthing that they were bringing outside into that tent. I've heard laughing, crying, squealing, tattling, and hope to soon hear silence because it is getting late. We'll see who comes inside first; my bet is on Meredith. Now, on to year #8. It's going to be a great one. We have so much to celebrate and be grateful for every day.
I love you, my dear Patrick.
Thank you for choosing me to spend your life and your days with.
We are so good together.
