Today Lee and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary! In a good way, it feels like we have been married a lot longer than six years. I think it is because we have been through so many big changes together and have had to lean on each other for everything, navigating through new waters with only gut instinct mixed with our upbringings.
There are some things about which of course, we asked our parents for advice; but, there are times when we didn't want to unnecessarily worry them so we tried to get through things on our own. Obviously, we made it through successfully--or at least as successfully as we could--but there were some close calls.
A few months after we got married, we had burnt through our savings and had overestimated our ability to live off of just Lee's wages. Without paying much attention, we dwindled down to a measly £0.72 by New Year's Day. After a strict budgeting regime, which involved spending only £20 a month on 'fun things' such as clothes and £100 per month for food, we managed in three years to build-up to buying our own house and living a more comfortable lifestyle.
Now six years on, we have added to our family with little Jackson and we are at more secure places in our careers, which also adds to the 'comfortable lifestyle.' We aren't rich by any monetary means, but we are rich in love and laughter here in our tiny utopia in this great big world. Our love and confidence in choices is ironclad--and that may be why the powers-that-be have decided that iron is the appropriate gift for the sixth wedding anniversary since that perfectly encapsulates the strength and cohesion that we feel.
Playing with bubbles in the sunshine last weekend. I love how excited and surprised Jackson gets with bubbles.
Discovering new ways to scare his mother
Relaxing after a long day of toddling by watching Peter Pan (his current favourite movie)
Developmental updates: Jackson is proving that he is not a whiner and can power through even a broken nose. Luckily, nearly all of the swelling and bruising has gone away. He hasn't learned that he is supposed to take it easy nor that we need him to be less risky (especially when he tries to turn our couch into a climbing frame), but we will keep trying to teach him. Jackson's new words this week were 'giraffe,' 'milk,' 'my,' and 'mine.' He is finding new places to hide and practice his peek-a-boo skills. Also, he is being very sociable towards adults by saying 'hi' and 'bye' to every parent at nursery and shopkeepers and customers in town.
If you see Sammie Miles Davis, Jr. and Bella, give them my love.
