Anniversary Gift

When I was a senior in college (152 years ago...) I served as the Student Body President, and had a weekly meeting with the Dean of Students. I didn't particularly care for her, nor she for me, but I guess that doesn't bear on the story except to say that this is literally the only thing I gleaned from those weekly meetings that has stuck with me.

We were sitting in the local coffee shop (shout out to The Cup in Weatherford, but back when it was called The Coffee Cup - home of the best breakfast burritos on the planet!) when I noticed a huge (I mean HUGE!) canary yellow diamond ring on her finger that I'd never noticed before. I asked if it was new. She explained that when she and her husband got married they decided that they'd only give gifts on big anniversaries (1 year, 5 years, 10, etc...), so when they DID give gifts they were exceptionally extravagant things that they wouldn't dream of buying themselves. They had just celebrated 20 or 25 years and he gave her that honker of a ring, and she gave him a Corvette. (Yeah, they weren't struggling...) Now I didn't expect (nor do I now) to ever receive a ring like that or to be able to give a Corvette, but the idea was a great one. We are so lucky to be able to buy what we want (for the most part) without having to wait for a holiday, that finding gift-worthy gifts is very often difficult for both of us and usually results in things that we only sort-of like. At least, I think, as it applies to the gifts I give Erik - he's a way better gift-giver than I am.

We gave little gifts (I think we had a $25 limit) on our first anniversary because we had just moved to Hawaii and things were kind of tight. Last year when we hit 5 years we had just moved here to PA and decided to gift ourselves with a Tempurpedic mattress and the accompanying pillows (which Erik has stated over and over since that he absolutely couldn't live without). So that was a definite win and something that we probably wouldn't have justified spending the money on otherwise. (Though if you're considering one, I can't encourage you enough to take the plunge! It's the best sleep we've ever gotten!)

Saturday was our 6th anniversary - not a gift giving anniversary. We usually just exchange cards, and sometimes a little something (this year, I got him a big bag of dark chocolate Lindt squares) and he came home from work with a card and a big box of Twizzlers (I have been craving chewy foods like nobody's business this pregnancy - pasta, chewy candy, I even look forward to my gummy fiber chewables at the end of the day) - so it was a perfect gift! I told you, he's a great gift giver!

Pregnancy is the only time in which candies are better than flowers.