thank you...

...for filling up the car with gas so I wouldn't have to worry about it while taking Gray to camp this week

...for the surprise bag of spice drops you brought home for me the other day

...for telling me you love me, every single day

...for saying, "Thanks for another delicious meal"

...for getting the coffee ready every night so I just have to flip the switch in the morning

...for enjoying Project Runway as much as I do

...for our Sunday morning trips to the farmer's market

...for being a complete and total dork, and loving me for being one as well

...for always being the snow cone maker

...for saying, "The bathroom looks great" when I clean it each week

...for taking the boys off on a hike the other day, as I always get more accomplished without the constant, "Mom, can you..."

...for most stress-relieving hugs on the planet

...for owning more books than I do (thus I don't have to feel guilty)

...for asking how my friends are doing, and really caring about the answers

...for making the bed a couple times this week

...for putting up with my goofy decorating ideas

...for always turning off the jazz when I get in the car with you

...for making me laugh so hard I sometimes nearly pee my pants (if I actually did pee my pants, I might not be thanking you though)

...for offering to clean the kitchen floor before the "door guy" comes

...for loving me just the way I am

That's just 20 of the things I have to thank you for this week. Multiply that times 52 weeks a year. Then multiply that times 20 years of marriage. That's a lot to be thankful for.

And I hope on those days when I forget to say "thank you" that you know I mean it anyway. That I'm thankful for every minute I spend with you. That I *know* how incredibly blessed I am to be spending my life with you. And that I hope this 20 years of marriage is just the beginning.

Happy Anniversary, Rich. I love you.

Oh, and that complete and total dork one...thanks again. That one means a lot. :D

a few of the things I miss when Rich is away

*His coffee...I swear I can't brew a pot of coffee that is anywhere near as delicious as he does...I don't know if it's the mix of beans, the fineness to which he grinds them, or just some bit of magic, but whatever it is I miss it.

*His help...around the house, with the munchkins' needs, with the myriad of other critters' needs...

*His listening ear...and I don't mean just to my stresses and problems, though there is that...but even more to listen to all those "OMG, did you hear...OMG, did you see...OMG, did you know..."" moments, those things that are just so awesome, or so upsetting, or so plain old interesting that I just have to share them with him immediately.

*His hugs...nothing in the entire world melts me into such a feeling of contentment...there are times I swear *nothing* can help the total fraying of my nerves, but being in his arms always proves me wrong...being there somehow always infuses me with the calm and the strength to move on.