Celebrations!

Today Ray and I have been married 21 years! We gave each other a "Happy Anniversary!" hug first thing, and he just came into my office to kiss me with the same declaration.

Since I've been rather home-bound lately, awaiting news about medical tests that will reveal how to get me stronger again, (and I have no doubt we will discover that so I can go on doing my passion--bringing hope and God's love to others through speaking, singing, and writing--and because I have engagements to fill)I designed and wrote my own card for Ray! I've never done that before. Shhhhh. . . he doesn't know it yet!

I was looking through digital photos from trips we've taken in order to print one on the card front, and oh, the memories that flooded over me. We've taken some great trips together: Sweden while visiting with our dear Inga and other friends, Victoria, then San Juan Island where we watched orca whales for two hours and a sunset that could never be captured by film, skiing at Whistler, Canada and the drive there, the "Ice Fields Highway" between Banff and Jasper in Canada viewing magnificent glaciers and wildlife, the Colorado Rocky Mountains by jeep and convertible while gasping anew at--no matter how often we see them--the ranges of peaks and mountain goats, moose, elk, bighorn sheep, even marmots. Oh, and there's quaint Leavenworth, WA, the Bavarian town which we love, the Oregon coastline that defies description in it's original beauty around every bend of Highway 101, riding our tandem along the California coastline, Rocky Mountain, Zion, Bryce, Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks and Big Sur and so many places in California we've loved to camp at or visit, and going to the Christian Booksellers convention for me to autograph my memoir for people . . . I could go on and on about the cities we've seen together: NYC, San Francisco, Seattle, San Diego, etc. And the planned trip to Nigeria . . .

But there are day-to-day celebrations I want to revel in as well.

We have a five foot rule--whenever you're within that distance you "get to" (not "have to") kiss the other.

We always tell each other over the phone something (well, it's kinda private) and end with "I love you."

And we never leave the house without kissing and saying "I love you" to the one staying behind.

Then there's our coffee. While we were dating I delivered Ray's coffee mug to him saying, "Coffee Lady" while I kissed him. We've been bringing each other coffee that way throughout all of these years.

At bedtime we stand together with Ray's arm around me and brush our teeth--I know, it sounds corny as can be, but it's another ritual we share.

And when Ray brings our cat Jaz into the bedroom in his arms like a baby at night and we begin to sing the song "Hitchin' a Ride" to him we laugh.(Why in the world this cat loves this ritual is beyond us--it just happened because songs pop out of our minds into our mouths and we sing them, and now this remains a fun thing for all three of us!)

Life is good because of the little things, you know. Yes, we want to get out there and take a trip together, but the little things like sitting next to each other on our double recliner while reading our respective books is heart-warming.

And so on this July 3 I celebrate life with a wonderful (though imperfect) guy who loves me--as imperfect as I am. I hope we have many years of adventure ahead together!

Bless you this weekend as you celebrate our nation's independence. And bless you as you remember other things to celebrate!

Until next time,
Jo