12

12 months in a year
12 days of Christmas
12 apostles
12 farm fresh eggs
12 is a dozen gorgeous roses

12 is a good number

we have done 12.
12 years married.

Sunday was our anniversary. 12 is a funny one to celebrate. We have passed the BIG 10, but are not quite at the impressive 15...12 is, nontheless, worth celebrating.
Being happily married after 12 years is a wonderful gift. My husband is truly my best friend. He is understanding of my crazines, gentle to our chidren, respectful of all.

This year our plans were simple, but it was still a day to remember.

In the morning I came downstairs and was promptly told I could "go back to bed" by my son.  The children made us breakfast in bed and mmmm....was it nice! In the true celebratory fashion of our family we all hung out on the bed and laughed at the silly antics of the little ones as we read our home made cards and loved each other up!

After that we started the day with  Mass outdoors! The weather was gorgeous and the setting, perfect.
After mass, we took part in the parish picnic which was actually a bbq - not even a pot luck one!

are you keeping track?
that is 2 meals I had done nothing for!

The mass and picnic were held at the local Pioneer Museum. After eating, everyone was welcome to roam the grounds, see the animals, the blacksmith, the mini-trains (oh boy were they a hit!) and we had a wonderful afternoon walking and talking with friends, watching our children run and explore together, sharing our stories of childhood all the while.
 do you need to be brought back to childhood for a moment? stop for a second and watch. Watch your little ones climb a fence, feed a horse grass, watch them listen in wonder as something is explained to them. Forging metal can be amazing, tools and musical insturments of a time almost forgotten.  You will return to your days as a child. What a gift!


The weather co-operated for most of the day, but eventually the grey clouds moved in faster than we were expecting and it was quick good-byes and dashing for our cars.
At home I was again told to take it easy, as the kids kept busy in the kitchen. They cooked, baked, set up and prepared a feast for us - with the table set for a dreamy dinner, we were led into the dining room.
They had put out the roses Darryl had given me that day. They had lit candles. There was a place setting for he and I, with napkins and wine glasses! There were notes and gifts, and my favorite touch; our wedding photo album , propt in the centre of it all. They took the baby from me and left us alone. It was more than we could have ever asked for, much more than these two tired parents were expecting - that is for sure.
and we ate.
and we talked.
and for a few minutes, no one asked for anything.
no one spilt their milk.

we were able to enjoy - just us - be that young pair of lovers that we are.

The day of our wedding my sister had told me to make sure that I took time during dinner to have a special, private moment with my husband. The wedding day can go by so quickly. So much excitement, but then, it is gone, just a memory. So I did. I was sure to spend a few quiet moments savouring the day, letting all the joy sink in.
12 years later, and I still TRY to do that.
Meals are such a good time for it.
for one thing they are practically the only time of day I am sitting still -ha
but really, they are a time to gather.
to pause and reflect on our day.
to feed our body, and our soul.
to delight our senses in textures, tastes, sounds.
a moment to relax after all the work it took just to put the food on the table.

so, a word of advice.
let your children join you in the kitchen.
don't let the only baking they do be at Christmas.
Teach them how to cook simple things.
encourage their efforts.
let them experiment (recipes are really only guidelines right?!)
and they will find joy in sharing their talent.
and a day will come when you don't cook a single meal.
and a day will come where you sit down to a cake,
baked by your 9 year old,
surrounded by your children
and your lover.
and some one will ask,
"Do you like it Mama?"

and you will say
yes.

God is good.