End of Year 2

I don't have many pictures at all from our anniversary this year, but I do have a couple! Between the busyness of packing, moving, unpacking, nesting, etc., we didn't actually go on a trip or anything this year. (I can't wait to get off the schedule of leases expiring on our anniversary!) We did go out to an Italian restaurant in a 100+ yr-old building in old downtown Herndon though. I didn't even know there was an old-town part, but there is, and it's pretty cute!

Levi surprised me by having roses delivered at work that day, which elicited many an excited co-worker to come ooo and ahhh at my desk. They were beautiful! Then I came home from work to be greeted by a second bouquet of flowers and a card!

Work Flowers

Home Flowers

 We got ready to go out to eat, but a bizarre rain storm slammed us right before we were going to walk out the door, so we had to sit it out inside for a few minutes before it cleared up. After a little while we were able to wade through the water that was still rushing through the parking lot and make it to the car in in one piece. But...

...once on the road we had to make a U-turn for Levi to go back to the house because he "forgot" his wallet. Once it was reclaimed, we finally made it to the restaurant where we were charmed by the classy atmosphere and had a great time together. But the real reason he went back to the house was to place a second card on the table, which I discovered later. He explained that since it was our second anniversary, I got two bouquets, two cards, and two sets of chocolates (which he had left in my car before I went to work that morning). He quickly added that I shouldn't expect that exact trend to continue every year. ;-) But what a thoughtful guy; I love him so much. And we're excited to see what our 3rd year of marriage holds!

Fine Dining

Last night Levi and I went to a gourmet restaurant that features all fresh, exquisitely-prepared foods that will make you think you died and went to heaven. It's a very small place, and we arrived around 7pm (on a Friday night, at that), so we had to wait a little bit, but they bent over backwards to make it up to us. For instance, they were supposed to be done serving the special for the night, but they said they would run back and tell the chef to prepare it for us if we wanted. So Levi agreed, and as it turns out, he got the very last one. And here's what it was: 

Pan-seared scallops on forbidden black rice, which had been soaked to perfection in mango and pineapple juice and mixed with chunks of each fruit. And on top of each scallop was an edible flower that a local had just picked off the plant that afternoon and brought to the restaurant fresh. And here's the finished product: 

It was the most perfect, incredible blend of flavors either of us had ever tasted in our lives. Literally breathtaking. And here is proof that Levi has in fact....eaten flowers. But his manliness has not been compromised.

I ordered a pork chop wrapped in bacon and topped with peach bbq sauce and peach wedges. Wouldn't think of that combination, right? But it was heavenly. It came with a potato cake and roasted zucchini. And the pork chop, freshly delivered from a local farm, was soaked in brine for 2 days prior to arriving on my plate. We both agreed that Levi's dish beat mine, but that's only because it was a matter of comparing EXTRA extra fantastic to extra fantastic. And what kind of comparison is that, anyway??

We finished off the evening with mexican chocolate balls, which we were too excited about to take time for a picture. But it was a chocolate cake mixed with ganache and cayenne pepper, rolled into a ball, and topped with cinnamon and sprinkles of kosher salt. With whipped cream on the side. And our blissful, happy faces to look upon it.

All in all, it was an unforgettable experience that is not rivaled by any other. I woke up this morning trying to re-live it in my mind, and just couldn't.

Color Me Bright

Although March is here, the warm weather is not. I have been trying to encourage it along by finding/wearing/using/dreaming in bright colors. Example: these flowers I picked up at the grocery store for the baby shower I'm hosing tonight for our pastor's wife.

I'm not usually much for pastels, so I decided there would be no baby pink involved. Instead, I have bright plates with pink, orange, and yellow rose patterns on them (no baby rattles or pacifiers) and this lovely arrangement to adorn the table.

Aren't those grey ones cool?? 

They're called pussywillows, and I LOVE them! 

And somehow, I kind of doubt that Baby Crowder will be offended by the lack of pastel pink at the shower thrown in her honor. ;-)

When I Expected Flowers

He was so thoughtful to check with me first before planning to hang out with one of his best friends, Jensen, Monday night. Even though I knew I would miss him after a long day at home alone, of course I wanted him to go. Jensen's one of my other favorite people too, and they don't see each other often enough now that I'm the new roommate. 

He called me when he was on the way home. I'm leaving Leesburg now, baby, can't wait to see you...I love you. 

Just 15 more minutes, I thought. 

20 minutes passed...then 25, and he still wasn't home. But I knew why. He knew I'd been thinking how long it was since he had brought flowers home for me, and he stopped to get some on his way home. I couldn't wait. I just knew that was it.

I heard my loud, growling car pull into the driveway...and it took a while for him to get to the front door of the house. Probably because he had to go around to the other side to get the flowers, or something like that.

He finally made it in the door, looking somewhat disgruntled, no flowers in hand. (But I thought, one time he left them outside the door and then went back for them. Just to make it better.) He tossed his stuff on the couch, sat down heavily, sighed, and handed me a yellow piece of paper. 

No flowers. A court summons from being caught in a speed trap. I was so disappointed.

I didn't have the heart to tell him, but I just kind of moped in my heart through the rest of the night in self-pity, frequently reminding myself of how my strongest love language wasn't being met and that I should feel upset about it. 

Well, tonight Levi got home from work before me, and when I walked in the door I surveyed my surroundings. Lamp light...lit candles...and Levi was in the kitchen cooking dinner. No flowers, but I was too hungry to be disappointed. Then I walked in the dining room to find more lit candles, and a bouquet of flowers on the table. 

I don't know what I even did to get him, but he's mine, and he's so good to me. I should have never let my self-fabricated expectations get in the way of remembering that.