Five Years

Today James and I celebrate five years of marriage. It seems like forever and just yesterday all at once. Some days it's hard to believe that five short years past we were two filmmakers living in Toronto. Most days it feels like we were always a family, just waiting to happen.

I am so grateful to have the most wonderful husband in the world (sorry ladies! I win this one.) We were married not "until death do you part" but "for time and all eternity", as we believe that families are forever and will last beyond life here on earth. We were a family before we came to this life, and our family will endure in the next. What a blessing.

I don't talk too much about James on here, probably because the majority of my days are spent with my kids. But this seems like the perfect time to brag, just a little. Although there are too many to list, here are some of my favourite things about him:

- he is a fantastic father. He was always meant to be a dad. He doesn't have to find time to fit his kids in, or juggle other social commitments. His favourite place to be is here with us.
- he always leave me the last piece of any dessert leftover. Pie, ice cream, cookies (especially cookies!) - he'll always leave at least one so if I go looking I won't be disappointed!
- he is the most dedicated person I know. He gives his full attention to whatever task he is doing and does it to the best of his ability and beyond.
- he makes us all laugh. We always joke that the kids will find him hilarious until they are about eight, and then will perfect the eye roll by age ten. And we both can catch a good case of the gigles while spending time together. I can't tell you how many times the two of us end up with tears streaming down our faces and our stomachs aching from laughter.
- he tells great stories. And they're so great, he'll tell you again, and again, and again. And even if I remind him I've already heard this one, he'll tell me one more time. But he's a great storyteller, and quick with a punch line, so the redundancy is forgiven.
- he's thoughtful and attentive. He's away on business this week, but just before lunch a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses arrived for me. That's right, yellow. People always query: "Doesn't he know yellow is for friendship?" Well, he is my best friend, but it means even more than that. Yellow is my favourite colour, and way, way back when we were dating, he sent yellow flowers for that reason. He had no idea the different colours of roses meant different things. But he was paying attention one day when I noted my favourite colour was yellow. And so that has been our little thing. He does, however, add one red rose, out of romantic whimsy.
- speaking of romance, he's the one to light up the candles, put on some classical music, slip his hand in mine, take the second best to offer me the best, open a door, sneak a kiss, and a million other little things that make me feel as though I'm the only person in the world. And he reminds me daily just how much in love he is.

And I tell him likewise.