Today is our twelfth anniversary.
We aren’t newlyweds any more—at least we wouldn’t qualify to be on the game show. I know how he likes his steaks seasoned, he remembers the last time I locked myself out of the house and burned dinner. We’d win all the fabulous prizes. True newlyweds don’t really need the fabulous prizes, anyway. They are up to their armpits in Bed Bath and Beyond gift cards and sex.
We aren’t quite old-marrieds, though. Our anniversary doesn’t have a coordinating shiny metallic theme or flowery Hallmark cards marking the milestone. Nobody would raise a toast to us on a cruise ship, celebrating our commitment. Nobody asks us for marital advice, in awe of twelve whole years together.
I thought of a term for our stage of marriage: Med-wed. The wedding gown doesn’t fit any more, but I am not thinking about my daughters wearing it any time soon. Oops. I just did.
We’ve been married long enough to have endured sublime joys and inevitable heartbreaks. We’ve been married long enough for a doctor to trust my husband to pack a very icky wound on my body with gauze—and I wasn’t embarrassed. I complained a lot, though.
We’ve had a bunch of kids. One is in middle school and has a locker with a combination I don’t know.
We’ve traveled, but not as much in recent years. We bought a house, which explains the lack of traveling. Got a dog. Had little, medium, and big fights. I do the laundry. He mows the grass. We don’t have any of the newlywed angst regarding chores and duties. Things get done, and that is what is important.
All our Christmas trees look the same, and there are enough pictures of them now that I wouldn’t know what year a particular tree is from without a small child standing in front. Traditions are established, but we are still up for a change if the mood strikes—as long as we don’t stray too far. The groove we are in grows deeper every year, which is good. When there is a hairpin turn, we don’t fly off into the void.
We are med-wed.
I think my hubby and I are, too. It’s great.
Steph
Adventures In Babywearing’s last blog post..Living La Vida Belly
Congratulations! Hope you have a wonderful anniversary! That sounds very much like me and my hubby. We celebrated 11 years in July.
Lisa’s last blog post..Horsing Around
Happy Anniversary!!!
amy’s last blog post..MTHFR….
We just celebrated 10 years and I feel the same way. I like this stage of marriage.
Beautifully written, as usual! Happy Anniversary!!
Nicki’s last blog post..Family Night-Alphabet Party
Happy Anniversary, Gretchen! Great term you’ve coined, and the “job description” with it is quite fitting.
Heidi’s last blog post..A Very Important Question
Happy Anniversary – we celebrated our tenth this year and are mirroring your description. Never thought I would be glad to be off the roller coaster of newlywedism, but the cruise control is set and we are enjoying the scenery.
Angela’s last blog post..We Are Officially a Homeschooling Family
Congrats to a dozen years of wedded bliss and all of the other stuff too. Our 25th is this year. We thought we’ve been planning a big trip to celebrate. The week we were to make our reservations was the week my son announced his engagement. He also announced the wedding date as the same month we thought we’d be traveling. Our celebration plans have been put on hold. Afterall, the couple is still over-the-moon in love and had to get the ball rolling on this marriage deal.
Joanne’s last blog post..Things Happen
Happy 12th Anniversary!!
Robin’s last blog post..first day of school
Happy Anniversary. I like that term, Mid-Wed. I have been married 8 years now and am really able to relate to most of that. Some of it we can still work on.
Happy anniversary! I like that term. We’ve been married 28 1/2 years, and I still feel somewhere in the middle of it all.
Barbara H.’s last blog post..Jesus, I Am Resting
I like the term! I think we are med-wed too! 7th anniversary is tomorrow, we have a house, a new (to us) mini-van (trying to sell the out-grown car now!). Two kids, trying for #3 (tell me, are we crazy?)… I like med wed!!
Happy anniversary!
Happy Anniversary 🙂
edj’s last blog post..Update: Jr Hi Edition
On the same day that you and your hubby were getting married, Az and I were doing the same. Happy Anniversary.
Veronica Mitchell’s last blog post..The Birth Story
Happy Anniversary! We just had our 16th yesterday 🙂
Gretchen (the other other one!)’s last blog post..OUCH!
happy anniversary! and, congrats!
katherine, senor elefante’s last blog post..chut-ney!
YAY! Twelve years is fantastic. Happy Anniversary to you two. I love this post.
Heth’s last blog post..Poor Little Tricycle
Med-wed! Love it! LOL! Happy Anniversary!
Congratulations! We celebrated our 20th this summer. We’re at the other end of med-wed (love the term). Still there…but starting the phase-out to the next stage. You know, where the first is off to college, several in the run all-around to practices and friend’s houses, no toddlers or preschoolers and next thing you know it’s empty nest! (can you see the whites of my eyes?) Hope the next dozen has the joys of your first dozen and less of the heartaches.
Happy Anniversary! We’re coming up on 10 years in May. You’ve described it so well in the way that only you can!
Happy anniversary! We’re 1 yr behind you, and I can relate to so much of what you wrote. Life (and marriage) is good!
Melanie’s last blog post..My Blogs
Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary (a little bit late). Hope you had a lovely, “med-wed” day. 🙂
Oy! I’m slow on the draw, obviously, but a big FAT CONGRATULATIONS to you and hubby…even minus the shiny foil number. Twelve is definitely something to celebrate. Hope you did.
Jenni’s last blog post..Don’t You Hate It When (spinal edition)
It’s late but congratulations on 12 years! 🙂
Melany’s last blog post..I found it