Happiness, year one

We were with some author friends this weekend and one took this picture of us... dubbing it "anniversary picture" because tomorrow we'll finish off our first married year.

I can't predict what's ahead but if any of the rest of them are half as good, it'll be just another confirmation of how blessed we are. Because of work schedule, we are celebrating in an oh-so-appropriate bookend style, with mountain time in Estes Park, CO [pic taken outside of Smokin' Dave's excellent BBQ joint] and ocean time this weekend. We head down to Charleston, SC on Saturday, for a couple of days of beach and friends and seafood.

Since last May 19th, we married, adopted our dog, bought a house, hosted Mom Marchese twice, Thurman and Kim and Jenny and Eric visited, we traveled to Las Vegas, Orlando {SM only}, Baltimore, Atlantic City, Philadelphia, Richmonds in Ohio and Indiana, Columbus, Santa Fe, Alburqurque, the Grand Canyon, San Francisco, Browning, Montana, and around Colorado, we both turned 36, we both experienced the rocking-and-rolling of our companies by the recession. We read a lot of books, watched too much TV, cooked loads of food, most good - some not, expanded our midsections, so we exercised. We cut grass, raked leaves, shoveled snow, hired a plumber, killed ants, walked the dog, did laundry, cleaned house, had the soil tested. We volunteered at the Humane Society, helped a out bit with youth at the church, used a nail gun with Habitat for Humanity, sponsored Lucy through World Vision, we could have done more. We worshipped at Chapel of Our Saviour, partook of the elements, attended Lessons and Carols and Ash Wednesday and Stations of the Cross, chatted during coffee hour, and we are mourning our minister's retirement in July. We missed our family and friends deeply.

And we've fought and cried some, asked for forgiveness and forgiven lots, laughed even more, talked for ages. Hopefully, we have done as the Book of Common Prayer expresses, and made our lives together a sign of Christ's love to this sinful and broken world, that unity may overcome estrangement, forgiveness heal guilt, and joy conquer despair.

If not, then we know we have something planned for this year.