Happy Tummy, Happy Heart.

There is just something about food. Food is the common ground we all have- we all must eat. We eat when we are happy. We have birthday parties with delicious grilled hamburgers and watermelon...and potato salad. We eat when we are mourning. We go to funerals with hot bubbly casseroles, rich with cheeses and cream of something, offering comfort food to those hurting. We schedule big events around meals. Big business meetings are always done over a meal because food helps establish common ground. We go on dates and eat at fine restaurants even fancier than we would normally eat at. We have great conversation over meals. Harder conversations are made easier over a warm cup of soup or a spring salad. We associate certain foods with the season. Chili is always made in winter to warm us up from the inside out. The same can be said about holidays. Thanksgiving we have turkey and stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy. On Easter, we eat ham and green bean casserole.

This past weekend Josh and I celebrated our first anniversary. Food is a huge topic of conversation for us. We both love food. We experiment all the time in our home with new recipes. We invite our friends over just to experiment on them. We wouldn't call ourselves "foodies" because no self-respecting foodie would ever admit to loving Taco Bell as much as we do.

Josh made reservations at Charlie Trotter's in Chicago for our anniversary. I was excited to go because it was something on our lists to do for the past year and a half. I knew that it was fancy, but I had no idea how much it would cost for two people to dine there. I was very hesitant when I discovered that the cost of our meal alone would be over half of our monthly mortgage payment. I told Josh that the risotto better be seasoned with gold flakes, but I let him keep the reservation.

What an experience! We were staying at the Palmer House for the weekend, which has always been on my bucket list. We took a cab from The Palmer House to Charlie Trotter's. For those four miles, I was no longer recovering from surgery, I wasn't thinking about getting pregnant, and I wasn't worried about the future of the Meyer Family. I was Josh's wife and I was madly in love. My hair looked amazing, my dress fit just right and my brand new anniversary band sparkled brilliantly on my finger.

We walked into Charlie Trotter's and were greeted by name as we were whisked away and handed personalized menus. The Chef knew my allergies and he proceeded to prepare us ten courses of pure heaven.  The servers must have been told that we were royalty or something because they treated us like a king and queen. Every course came with a fresh set of silverware and new napkin. They brought several different types of breads with each course and our wine glasses were never empty. I took bites of things I have never even heard of before and in those four hours, I think I was brought back to life.

God must have known I needed that time away with Josh. He must have known that I needed to be revived and brought back to life. He decided to use scallops, hamachi, saffron, kalamata olives, and gelatos of all different kinds to remind me that life is good, God is good, and this journey, although painful, is worth traveling. I walked away from our anniversary weekend with a new perspective. Sometimes it's okay to let the practical side be silenced and live in the moment. Sometimes an experience of a lifetime is worth it, because, in fact, it is good for the soul. Sometimes it takes a beautifully cooked scallop to bring you back to life.

Even though the next week was followed up with far too much Hamburger Helper (you still have to pay the entire mortgage apparently...) that meal brought so much Joy into my heart. I think I got my song back and I remember now Who wrote that song.

To Love...

Happy Anniversary to the man who makes my heart sing....

Two years ago this weekend I met my sweet husband...one year ago I married him. Today, I am well aware that I am the luckiest girl in the world.

To my sweet Joshua, Thank you for your kindness, thank your faithfulness to me and to our marriage. Thank you for putting my needs first, no matter what. Thank you for sticking right by my side no matter how bleak, dark, or cloudy things get. Thank you for your optimism- without your reassuring smile, I am not sure I would be the woman that I am today. You are fearless, you are godly, you are sensational.

Thank you for being my YES when the world says NO. Thank you for being may backbone when I feel like everything is collapsing around me. When I am by your side I know everything will be okay. You make me long to be better, you challenge me, you cut to the deepest part of me. You validate me and encourage me but you also strive to make me evaluate my life and you never allow me to become complacent or boring. You are my love song and I cannot wait to spend the next 60 plus years next to you!

I still have moments where I pinch myself. I have those, "I just know I will wake up single, sitting on the couch watching Sex in the City, and eating my cup of noodles" moments. I am the luckiest girl in the world. You are such a catch...

May this year be EVEN better than the last. May our love for each other and our love for God grow a little more everyday. May we feel blessed every single day. May we never take for granted the gift of marriage that God has given us...I adore you, My Sweet.

Happy Anniversary Love!
*Your Bizzle*