Forty Years to "Getting It" - Part 2

The second in a series of long-winded expressions of gratitude.


Today seems especially appropriate for this post as it is our 15th wedding anniversary. So, Happy Anniversary, Honey! And thank you, once again, for making my life such a beautiful place to live. xoxo


As if to prove my assertion that I am, in fact, the luckiest girl the the world, for my 40th birthday and our 15th anniversary, James took me on a little overnight getaway to the Channel House in Depoe Bay.


It was the most we've ever spent on a room for one measly night, but as James said, "I'm buying memories."

Boy was he right.

The room was perfect. With an amazing view and nicely appointed, it was the ideal venue to accomplish the instantaneous shrugging off of stress and making the most of very, VERY little time.

Even the whales were cooperative! They were supposed to be done migrating by such a late date in June, but there they were. We had so much fun carefully watching the swells for signs of them.
(You knew there would be food shots, didn't you?)

I was very disappointed to learn that there is no such animal as a good bakery in Depoe Bay so I had to make our St. Andre Triple Cream French Brie work on water crackers instead of crusty peasant bread, but we made due nicely. Of course, with the 2004 Maysara Jamsheed Pinot, I could just about eat a slug and find it tasty. (Not a pairing I would encourage, mind you, I'm just sayin'...)

Eventually it was time for dinner and James left me there in my plushy, white Channel House robe (which I didn't change out of the entire time we were there... ahhh, the lush life!) while he dashed out to get it. I didn't take pictures of our meal because it wasn't as pretty as it was delicious, what with the white cardboard boxes and all, but we enjoyed it quite a lot. He had a Thai prawn dish (I swear those prawns were the size of adolescent lobsters!) and I dined on green curry halibut. Just a tad on the spicy side for my taste, but that's good for me every now and then.

Once our dinner had settled, it was time to take advantage of one of our favorite amenities... the jetted tub on the deck!

Now, doesn't he just look like he's got something up his sleeve?!





Little did I know, but he DID... literally!



... and right about...




... NOW...





... He dropped THIS in my lap!

It's really hard to get a good shot of jewelry (one of the very few hardships I share with Paris Hilton) but, if you look closely, you can make out ten princess-cut diamonds in a platinum channel band. One diamond for every two years we've been together (or one for every year and a half we've been married... take your pick.)




The clouds robbed us of the red and orange sunset we so desired, but enveloped as we were in appreciation of each other and the perfection of every other aspect of the experience, we forgot to notice.

We woke up to a spectacular, clear morning.


























Then, we went to the "continental" breakfast!













Especially for you Seinfeld fans... The brown disk on the left is a banana nut MUFFIN TOP! I HAD to get it.

Next to it is a cherry and cream cheese pastry, I'm sure you recognize a hard-boiled egg when you see one, and under that mountain of whipped cream are fresh strawberries!

The management offered us another night at half price... we contemplated it for about 10 seconds then returned, kicking and screaming, back to reality.

In stead, we bargained for 90 more precious minutes to draw out the inevitable.

We watched whales a while longer, then made our way up to Lincoln City where we had a delicious lunch at Kylo's before heading back to our darling little people and life as usual.

"Life as usual" is wonderful and I wouldn't trade it for the world, but this time alone with James was so very precious to me. To enjoy each other's company without interruption and bask in our "couple-ness" for 27 short hours was sheer joy. Best of all was the fact that he planned it. He took the initiative and was excited to do this for me... for us. He took pleasure in making it happen and proved to me, once again, that I am more to him than chef, baby-sitter and (occasional) housekeeper.

I have always known that my husband is devoted to our family and will love me to the end of my days. But in the fray and chaos of "Life as usual," it can be easy to feel like what we do for each other goes unnoticed.

In those 27 bliss-filled hours, I felt loved completely, appreciated fully and that there was no place that he would rather be than right there with me at that moment.

That was the best gift he could ever give me.


... though I have to admit, I haven't found myself able to part with that ring long enough to get it sized...