Top Ten Tuesday: "you and I are the light that endures..."

Whoever loved as we did? Let us hunt
for the ancient cinders of a heart that burned
and make our kisses fall one by one,
till that empty flower rises again.

Let us love the love that consumed its fruit and went
down, its image and its power, into the earth:
you and I are the light that endures,
its irrevocable delicate thorn.

Bring to that love, entombed by so much cold time,
by snow and spring, by oblivion and autumn,
the light of a new apple, light

of a freshness opened by a new wound,
like that ancient love that passes in silence
through an eternity of buried mouths.

Love Sonnet XCV, 100 Love Sonnets: Cien Sonetos de Amor
Editorial Losada, Buenos Aires, 1960 (trans. Stephen Tapscott, 1986, p. 201)

This week AC and I are celebrating ten years since we met (we celebrate two anniversaries each year), so I wanted to focus on one memorable thing from each year of our relationship for my Top Ten Tuesday.

1. January 24, 2003: Technically, AC and I met the day before, Thursday, January 23, when we both agreed to go out to dinner with two other mutual friends, but after spending the evening pretty much ignoring them (sorry Y & K!), we went on our first official date the very next day, after setting it up via text.  What can we say, we were cutting edge.  I remember I went to the movie theatre where we were supposed to meet and I was terrified I wouldn't recognize him, even though I had spent so much time with him the night before!

2. 2004: AC and I traveled to Long Beach, California with my parents and brother to visit family, and so the boys could go watch Texas thwart Michigan in the Rose Bowl game.  However, this trip was memorable because we went to Disneyland with the family, and it was cold and rainy, which resulted in AC and I having an absolute blast acting like silly kids because there were so few other people at the park.

3. 2005:  AC and I were married on July 23, 2005, exactly two and a half years after we met.  We were married in a very small ceremony, at AC's parents' home, by the same minister who married them.  I honestly do not know how women handle the stress of a large wedding, because I was completely overwhelmed by a small one.  I remember not getting teary-eyed until AC did, when I was repeating my vows.

4. 2006:  We took our honeymoon (finally) to Whistler, Canada, and it was the first time I ever traveled out of the country.  We absolutely fell in love with Whistler, and it is at the top of our list of dream places to live.

5. 2007: AC and I took a trip to Chicago to see the Bears play in the NFC Championship game.  We also got a dog, whom we named "Rexy," after the worst quarterback to ever play in the SuperBowl.  Being a Green Bay fan, I told AC it was the ultimate act of submission as a wife to go cheer for his team, but I had a blast.

6. 2008: Our beautiful baby girl, SC, was born in May of this year, a whopping 8 lbs. 15 oz.

7. 2009: This year, unfortunately, will be remembered for the week of spring break, when I ended up in the hospital on St. Patrick's Day having to have my gallbladder removed, and while I was recovering, SC developed an ear infection, had a febrile seizure (her first) at Target, and was rushed to a different hospital about forty miles away from the one I was in.  I was able to get checked out, and my father-in-law drove me to the other hospital, where they pronounced SC okay to go home.

8. 2010: This year (and half of 2011, technically) will be remembered for how I worked as a high school English teacher (all four grades), and I missed out on so much of life with AC and SC.  I know now that my circumstances (the school, the economy, etc) made things much more difficult, but I am glad I had the experience because I realized I was missing out, and now I relish the time I get to spend with SC and AC.  

9. 2011: This is the year we spent trying to get back on track from the craziness of having a job that was so demanding.  AC started traveling more, and I got to tag along to San Francisco for the first time.  We spent family time in Southern California, taking SC to Disneyland (again - she has been a few times) and playing at the beach in the winter.  We started going to a new church, and made some great new friends.  We tried to get healthy by eating Paleo (though it is easier for me to do at home than AC to do while he is traveling).  It was a year of living life.

10.  2012: This last year will be remembered for the great family times we had, many around traveling.  We went to visit family in Kansas and Portland, OR.  SC and I tagged along with AC on an amazing trip to Curacao.  I was able to meet up with AC again in San Francisco, and we spent a great "adult" weekend with some friends in Las Vegas.

So, we obviously love to travel, as most of my memories have to do with traveling.  AC and I are great traveling companions, as we typically have similar agendas as to what we want to do and see, and SC has been a great tiny traveler addition to our journeys.

AC, I am so glad that I gave in to Y and met up with her and K for dinner that night.  When I look back, I am awestruck that God planned out what otherwise would be countless coincidences to bring us together, including my decision to go that evening.  I know that He created you for me, and I for you.  I cannot believe that it has been ten years, and I cannot wait for whatever adventures and experiences the next ten years will bring.

What is your favorite memory of the past ten years?  Leave a comment, then check out more Top Ten Tuesday posts here: