The Truth About Being Married for 9+ Years

Our anniversary came and went in December. Nine years. Can you believe it? I can't - time has flown by. We skipped right past the seven year itch rumor and we're just shy of a decade of wedded bliss. And in that entire, almost-decade long state of marital happiness, Vinay has never once chastised me or told me that I have been derelict in my marital duties.

Until today.

My Mom has been on my case, didn't get to me. A good friend has been on my case, didn't get to me. My Daughter (as an agent of my Mother) has been on my case, didn't get to me. My sister-in-law has been on my case (although just once), didn't get to me.

But when Vinay told me today that I really need to get back to the blog, well. I had to sit up and take notice.

So here I am.

You asked for it!

In no particular order, pictures to get you up to speed.

Kev went to a birthday party where he got a balloon hat shaped like - surprise, surprise! - an elephant. And wow, was he excited. And then wow, was he devastated when it shrunk!

He's learning to write his name. Love it!

And to draw people (before conception which I find especially advanced for a 3 year old).

Here's my little man with a picture of me! I always thought my face had good lines.

Kev and Uncle Mikey on one of his visits. Please note the book title - Love is a Handful of Honey. That's right. Uncle Mikey, ex-Marine, was reading Love is a Handful of Honey.

Amiya (front row, candy-cane socks) and her class doing their holiday performance. They sang "The Everlasting Fruitcake" and it was (completely true, despite being completely biased) the best song of the whole show. She was very cute and very happy to be up there. The girl's got charisma.

Amiya worked hard on gifts for her teachers this year - she chose to make them each a little loaf of apple spice bread and for the first time ever she can really take credit for all the cooking. She did a great job and got rave reviews!

We went caroling for canned goods again this year - above is the original crew, minus a few who were out with a stomach thing.

Amiya, singing at her favorite teacher's house.

Can you see Kev? Second from the left, red sweater, brown shoes? He loved caroling and I still catch him singing jingle bells.

The haul - over 300 canned goods and $150 dollars - all to our school's food pantry. Next year, we're on again - but this time the Dads have to join us!

And then there was Christmas:

Amiya and Kev in front of the tree on Christmas Eve. Amiya was wearing the dress that her cousin Nisha wore as the flower girl in our wedding. I loved seeing her in it and she loved having this connection with her cousin.

Amiya and Grandma. Two peas in a pod. Really. Which brings me to this next picture.

Every Christmas, Amiya, Mom and I get all dressed up and head out for a girls only tea. After dining, we head to the fabulous Tampa Theater for a sing-along showing of White Christmas. Amiya knows every. single. word. of every. single. song. and she sings them all year long. There's one song that is especially popular - "Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters." Skip back a picture. See those two goofballs? Anytime they have something going, they sing, "Sisters, sisters, yada, yada, yada, yada, yada." I can't deny how cute it is.

Amiya wanted an American Girl doll for Christmas, but I talked her out of that - the chicky doesn't ever play with dolls. Instead, she focused on a much more reasonably priced Madame Alexander doll. Amiya's face absolutely lit up on Christmas Eve when she opened her doll up. And then. Oh, and then. When she found the gift from Grandma with a matching dress for both Priya (her doll) and herself. So, so sweet.

More soon. Promise.