Third Anniversary - December 23, 2008

Three years is not an extraordinarily long time, but for our 3rd year anniversary Gabe and I wanted to do something especially meaningful. For us it means more than the amount of time in marriage it represents. To us it is a celebration of all that we have been through together. It's a reminder that we are so blessed to be able to be with each other because we know what it is to be unwillingly separated for every significant day. It's a reminder of the day we promised to stick together no matter what and furthermore a reminder of the no-matter-what's. For this, our first anniversary out of the military, we needed to go (relatively) big. :-)

First, Gabe completely surprised me with this gorgeous purse (3rd anniversary is leather)!! He snuck my other purse out while I was sleeping and put all my stuff in the new one so that when I opened my eyes in the morning this was the first thing I saw. It was so sweet!!

Before we left, I was quite hungry so Gabe made me Macaroni & Cheese... This was me trying to keep my dress clean.

Before we left - all dolled up.

The view on the drive.... I cannot believe we actually live here.

My amazing husband...

So happy together!!

Life's a long road. :-)

I was so nervous he was going to fall!


For Gabe's senior prom he took me to Nepenthe, a small, beautiful restaraunt in Big Sur. So for our anniversary he surprised me with another visit there. It absolutely amazes me how gorgeous it is. God must really love us to give us this beauty.

The wooden statue in front of our favorite restaurant Nepenthe.

Our actual view while eating dinner...

Posing on the deck.

The Chicken!

"Hippies are so much nicer than rednecks."

Pretty, pretty California.


After our wonderful lunch at Nepenthe Gabe drove us to our next destination: Pfieffer State Beach. It is not easy to find - you will only ever visit it if someone explicitly shows how to get there. I, in my dress, nylons and long coat and Gabe, in his slacks, dress shoes and suede jacket decided to play! I cannot go to the beach without saying hello to the ocean (I am afterall from California) so I did. And then we checked out the tide pools and almost got knocked down by a wave! Well, kind of... I was startled and almost fell off my rock...

Going to Pfieffer State Beach - quite a journey to get there, but so worth it!

Like I told Gabe, you know you're in God's country when your subject makes the picture for you.

Gabe took some pictures of me playing in the water.

I think he did a great job with this picture!

Gabe on the rocks.

Even the rocks are prettier here.

There were a bunch of photographers taking pictures of this arch.

Ah, the beach at sunset... Does life get any better?

Why, hello, God.

I think that is where God sits and does His thinking.

I can't wait to go back.

Gabe carried me to the car because my feet were freezing!

It was a very large leaf.

My new favorite beach.

After the beach we went to see "Four Christmases" at the theater - originally Gabe had planned to take me to an Imax movie, but we didn't make it so we went to the one right here in Salinas. We did get to walk around Cannery Row for a bit (and get some yummy candy!). After the movie we went home and changed into our comfies for a quiet night.

When we got back we had a fun night at home with our family.

The love of my life.

It was a perfect day... Absolutely perfect!