9 Year Anniversary

Joey and I have changed a lot in 9 years. We went from two kids falling in love to two thirty year olds with a minivan and three kids! (Ayden took our picture that day so he was in it, just behind the camera)

 For a 9 year wedding gift you are supposed to get pottery or something woven so I chose to get something "woven" for Joey.... so it was a perfect time for a hammock!

 He loved it

 Joey got me daisies in a vase that he painted for me when we first started dating.......

 and a surprise trip to the beach.... with NO kids!

 we got to the beach Friday night and Saturday morning after sleeping in.... till 8 (yeah, that's sad that is considered "sleeping in", I know)

 we headed out to the beach

 I had so much fun just laying in the sun not hearing "I wanna go home, I've got sand in my....., It's cold, it's hot, I'm thirsty, etc. etc. 

 and Joey actually got to swim with dolphins!

Later that day we went bike riding, without having to stop for messed up training wheels, or kids that couldn't catch up or because cars were coming, etc. 

It was still sweet to see where our kids the week before had drawn on the concrete with chalk.

For dinner that night we enjoyed pizza that we didn't have to share and a movie that we didn't have to continue to pause for bathroom breaks and tantrums

The next morning it was time to go home but it was also Sunday so we headed for church.... we decided to try Port City Community Church in Wilmington

It was a really nice church and the message was great

and it just so happened they had a Carrabbas right about the corner!

 My favorite is the chicken Marsala 

 Joey's favorite is the steak

 we sat outside and talked without being interrupted or having to get up for bathroom breaks and drink refills

 Joey enjoyed ordering his meal without a screaming kid stopping him

 Since Joey and I have been dating we have always tried to make it to a Carrabbas on our anniversary

It was a great anniversary but it we realized that we missed the 

"I wanna go home, I've got sand in my....., It's cold, it's hot, I'm thirsty, etc. etc. 

having to stop for messed up training wheels, or kids that couldn't catch up or because cars were coming, etc

pausing the movie for bathroom breaks and tantrums

being interrupted or having to get up for bathroom breaks and drink refills

screaming kids

we missed our kids!

so we headed home and picked them up and within 17 minutes reality set in and the kids were unbelievably hyper and we realized "what were we thinking!!!!!!!

seriously our life is so different now but we wouldn't trade it for anything. We love our hectic, chaotic life that drives us absolutely crazy at times but also blesses us beyond understanding at other times!

Happy 9 year anniversary Joey, I love you and the crazy kids you helped create!