Ten

Today, we are celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary. On this day in 1999, a beautiful Wednesday, we said our vows. Yes, Wednesday. It happened like this:

We were sitting at an all-you-can-eat buffet in Las Vegas (romantic, I know), discussing how crazy it is to get married there. We had met a couple a few days before who had done just that—gotten married on a whim. It blew me away to think that people actually just up-and-get-hitched like that, but I have to admit, there was something titillating about it.

And then he said it. "We could get married." This was not a question. It was stated as a fact that rolled off his tongue with the calm confidence I have always loved about him. I was simultaneously stunned and certain. I asked with a sideways glance, "are you serious?" Immediately followed by "yeah, we could!" And that was it. His proposal, my acceptance.

Two days later (our engagement, I suppose?) we were husband and wife. Ten years later we are so much more than that. It's a rare thing, but that was one Vegas bet that paid off.

Happy Anniversary, "A"!

The image at the top of this post is the camping permit we had displayed on our windshield. The park ranger scribbled that sweet message at the bottom of it. "Congratulations and eternal love."