40 Years! Holey Moley.

Today is our 40th anniversary. I remember when my parents celebrated their 40th, and they were old. Now that we're here, it looks different. Funny how that happens.

For our 40th, our kids, siblings, and parents put together for us a week in Nags Head, NC in a beautiful condo on the Sound with nothing to do but sleep when we want to, eat things like custom-made donuts (divine) and crab cakes (love), shop in quaint haberdasheries, and soak up as many beach breezes and heavenly sunsets as we want. We feel quite spoiled and lazy. And it's wonderful.

Thank you, sweet family. We never know how badly we need to get away until we do.  We think we're so important at our jobs and in our responsibilities, but when we get out of the picture...surprise! Life goes on.  It's funny how that happens too.

This morning, I bought a precious charm for my Pandora-like bracelet. Take a look and see if you can determine its significance.

 In case you're baffled, here's another hint.

This is our daughter-in-law (with gorgeous curly hair) and a little something she's been growing for about five months now. I love this picture. With the Redskins game on in the other room, I'm imagining our son and his son plopped in front of the tube in a year or so, rooting for the burgundy and gold.

Here we are with our older son and his wife (with gorgeous red hair), who drove five hours to spend some time with us. Woo-hoo! We don't see them often enough, and it was heart-warming to get some good hugs from these two.  I love this picture.

It's 5 p.m. and I'm in my PJs already, because it's my anniversary and apparently, I'm old. My kids probably think so. So, here I am writing in a swivel rocker with a zebra pattern, tummy full of custom-made donuts and dark chocolate malted milk balls from Fresh Market. I'll pay the piper when I get home.

For now, I'm grateful for a generous family and 40 years of a marriage to a hard working, Air Force guy who always supported every crazy idea I ever had.

Except baked bean sandwiches. He wasn't a big fan of those.