Happy Anniversary - late

TJ and I celebrated - well, not really, our 11th anniversary on May 10. My Grandpa's funeral was on May 10, so we weren't even in the same town on our anniversary. That's ok. I am married to a wonderful guy if you don't know already. I know 11 years isn't too long in the grand scheme of things, and to us it really seems like it has flown by. This is the first year we weren't together on our anniversary. All the NAVY deployments never interfered with it for some reason (unlike birthdays and Christmas!). I love him so much and I still can't believe at the age of 14 I knew he was one special guy - pimples and all :) I wish I had some pictures to post - I am still in Colorado. So I will have lots of pictures to upload when I get home next week - and hopefully we can celebrate our Anniversary then. Just a little reminiscing now... I know some of you have heard this, but for those of you who haven't here's the story. I saw TJ for the first time right after 8th grade ended - we were watching our sisters play in an all-star little league game against each other. He was sitting in the bleachers in front of me with his parents. I told my friend I was going to marry that kid although I'd never seen him before. I never saw him again that summer, until school started and we ended up at the same High School. We have been together ever since. Fast forward to April, 1996 - TJ calls me and tells me he's joined the NAVY - I say "what's that?" Colorado isn't a very NAVY town! I now know all too well what the NAVY is - and I LOVE it!! I know it was the best thing that could have ever happened to us and I am so grateful to the NAVY and all the opportunities it has given us. TJ can retire from the NAVY in 8 years! Although I am hoping we end up staying in for longer than the 20 years required for retirement. So TJ went to boot camp in Great Lakes, IL in October, 1996. He came back on May 9, 1997, for us to get married on the 10th, then left again on May 11, to go back to IL. He was gone for like a week and he came back to get me and we drove off to San Diego, where he was stationed for the next 10 years. But, when we got to San Diego in May 1997, he left for 6 months in August 1997. He came back in February 1998, and left AGAIN for 6 months in June 1999, and returned in December 1999. I like to tease him that he hasn't done a real day's work since sometime in 2000, and he hates it when I say that! But, since starting flight school, he has definitely been putting in his time. I love you so much honey! I'll see you next week - do you think you can pick us up at the airport??? And, I think I need a little vacation from our wonderful children when I get back from this vacation with them!