13 Days of Celebrating 13 Years of Marriage

On Thursday, November 8th I woke up to find a card on my bedside table. Inside it my husband explained how the next 13 days would be a celebration leading up to our 13th wedding anniversary on November 20th. 

On Day 1 I found a card that sang to me when I opened it up. Day 2 I found a sweet homemade card by my coffee pot. Reeses peanut butter cups were my surprise on day 3 and day 4's gift was fun since I found yellow sticky note messages all over my house for several days. 

Day 5 was a mock Wikipedia article Heath made. I was thoroughly confused at first and wondered who on earth would put this stuff on the internet. Can we say "gullible"? Day 6 I had some gorgeous flowers delivered to my door. My 11-year-old son thought it was the most ridiculous gift ever since they'd all be dead in a week. I told him that girls like this sort of thing so he needs to just be quiet and let me enjoy them. On day 7 I got a sweet e-card which told me my husband had sneakily written down my Starbucks gift card number so he could recharge it for me. On day 8 he tracked down a baseball card of an Atlanta Brave's player named Tyler Pastornicky. I am a pastor's wife and my name is Nikki, so we often joke around and call me Pastor Nikki here at the house.

On day 9 we took a stroll down memory lane and looked at a scrapbook I made Heath several years ago. Heath made a public declaration of his love for me on Facebook on day 10, and on day 11 he put together a hilarious amazon video gift card with us singing Sonny and Cher's famous "I Got You Babe." Day 12 was the one I was waiting for and knew an anniversary celebration would not be complete without something from Sonic!

Day 13 (our actual anniversary) we got a babysitter and went on a date. We enjoyed a nice dinner, some clothes shopping, and some fun conversation at Starbucks before returning home. Heath also got me what he called my "real" gift from a new to us company called Wantful.  Heath put a lot of time, thought, and effort into this gift since he had to choose 16 gift options for me. The beautiful book, which is a catalog for me to make my choice on which gift I wanted arrived in our mailbox. I will be honest, it was overwhelming at first because all the choices were beautiful and unique, but after thinking about it for a few days I finally chose a beautiful leather bound journal. Heath knows I love to journal my prayers and I also journal during my personal devotional and Bible study times. I can't wait for it to arrive in the mail!

My heart is overflowing with gratitude for this man I married. We have grown up together in the past 13 years and our marriage has gotten better and better each passing year. To God be the glory! I can't express how much fun this anniversary was this year. I felt like a young 20-year-old again dating this young man. I would giggle and smile when I found post-it notes around the house he had hidden or passed by the card he gave me. I honestly don't feel like I deserve this man's love, much in the same way I don't feel like I deserve the Savior's love. I am so humbled and amazed by the way my husband displays the Savior's love to me. Heath is always so patient and forgiving and his love never fails. I trust this man with my heart and I am so thankful for how he loves me and protects my heart. I am blessed. I am thankful. Heath, thank you for striving to love me as Christ loves His church (Ephesians 5:25).  As I often say, "I love you like crazy!"