21 years of bliss!

This past month,  

has been quite a trip down memory lane.  

Our main computer has been ready to die for the past 6 months and Tracy had another computer already put together to be our main computer, but I didn't want to deal with transferring data and losing all of my Picasa photo folders I have created over the past three years. 

Well, 2 weeks ago, our computer would no longer boot and so Tracy pulled the old hard drive and put it in our new computer he built and we proceeded with the painful process of moving all of our data from our old computer to our new one, which was A LOT of work!! 

I had to move over all of my fonts, Word documents and family photos. During this process I came across this love letter that I had created for Tracy for our 14th Wedding Anniversary and since my Blog is my journal that will get printed into a nice book, I wanted to have this for memory sake and besides this perfectly sums up my feelings at this time in my life as well.

 (Spring 2004)

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(April 24, 2004) 

10 reasons why I Love Tracy! 

--He is the person that I long to see at the end of the day—he is truly the love of my life!
It’s like we’re still dating, because when he comes home I want to be looking my best, have fresh gum in my mouth and a spray of perfume and fresh lipstick and look forward to his wonderful hug and kiss when he walks through the kitchen door!  Love is wonderful! 

-- Tracy ALWAYS make me laugh and there’s never a dull moment with him around. He has this funny way he sings songs and is constantly making funny faces and gestures! I can’t even count how many times a day he makes all of us laugh. His laugh is contagious and you can’t help but be in a happy mood with him around.

--Tracy is truly a “handyman” and can fix anything—Most women would do anything to have what I have in a husband. He is the one who always makes our home shine with all of the “fix-it up” jobs that he does. We never have cupboards that are falling off the hinges, or leaky faucets or toilets, or broken doorknobs, or squeaky floors, or a head board that bangs against the wall.  Tracy can buy anything from the store and put it together because he has all the tools for the job and has an incredible mind that can figure anything out. I’m amazed at how he can take a “sows ear” and make a “silk purse” out of anything that he touches.

--Tracy is an awesome dad and hubby— Tracy is the kind of husband who adores his wife and can’t say enough positive, sweet things to her. He makes me feel like a queen and the most wonderful, treasured wife in the world—He is the most AWESOME dad who always puts his kids first--the kids are so excited to see him at the end of the day—they wait patiently by the kitchen door and as soon as they hear the garage door go up they run out screaming to see their dad. It’s the neatest thing.

--He loves to make our place homey with his tools, talent and excellent ideas. Tracy is every woman’s dream.  Not only is he “MANLY” in every way that a husband can be, but he loves to go to home shows together and get ideas for fun things we can do to our home. He is part of every aspect of decorating our house---from deciding what we should hang on the walls to how we should landscape our yard—to buying me hanging planters for my front porch—he has great ideas for all of this!  He also loves to go and shop for clothes and housewares---I LOVE that he has a sense of “fashion” and is always dressing in the latest styles.

--Tracy is SO talented—from building beautiful furniture to making ‘antique wooden blocks” and fun cards for all occasions. Tracy’s favorite program is watching “The New Yankee Workshop” on PBS.  He is amazing with all the beautiful pieces of furniture and shelves he has built----AND he has the“garage workshop” to die for and is the envy of everyone on our block because he has all the tools for the job and not only do he have all the tools for the job, he uses every tool that he has. They’re NOT just something to look cool on the wall.  I’ve attached a photo in the picture section of the shelf he built me for Christmas—he made up his own plans—it’s a masterpiece. In fact, most of the “knick-knacks” on the shelf were carved, drawn and painted by him!

--Awesome lover....I just wish that life wasn’t so crazy so that we could enjoy this kind of FUN with each other more often than 2 or 3 times each week!  (the rest of this is probably not Blog appropriate, so I took it out)

--Tracy is definitely NON-controlling and I feel like a complete “butterfly” who can say and do what I feel.  Tracy never gets jealous—if another man talks with me, he sees it as a compliment that he has a “great catch”.  I wish more women could have a husband like this.  Jealousy and fear and guilt are terrible things and I am SO glad that they don’t exist in our home.

--He is my hiking/camping buddy and the person that I want to experience everything in life with. I never get sick of him or need a break from him. I love going on long drives with him listening to our CD’S or MP3’S that he has burned for us ”, and talking about everything in life.  I could drive all across the US and back with him and never tire or have a dull moment!!  I can truly say that if we were stranded on a desert island and there were not other people there I would be completely 100% content and thrilled and love every minute of it!

--Another word for Tracy is: Mister “Prepared” for anything—with Tracy around we will NEVER be without the necessities whether we are hiking, camping, driving in the car, etc... It doesn’t matter what emergency we have, we always come out on top because Tracy has thought to pack things to get the job done. He is truly amazing in this area and our neighbors and family are always fascinated that we never seem to get in bad predicaments because Tracy has thought of everything.

--And last of all---Tracy is the most kind and Christ-like person I have ever met. There is not anything that he wouldn’t do for you. He teaches me so much about doing for others and putting other’s needs above your own.

There are only two things 

that really bug me about Tracy

1st, he is not a very “punctual” person—in fact, we are late to everything—I am the kind of person that is always 10 minutes early to everything (as long as I am not with Tracy). In fact, our son had 26 tardies last trimester because Tracy kept hitting the “Snooze” and didn’t get ready in time to get Jade to school on time.  I am hoping that maybe someday being punctual and on time will rub off on him. His nick-name in High School was "Tardy Tracy"!  (ACTUALLY, in 2011 Tracy is doing WONDERFUL in this area, he has been in some church callings where people were always late and someone had made a comment that it is really rude to be late and that is shows people you really don't care and so for the past 3 years, being punctual has been a priority to Tracy!)

And the 2nd thing that bugs me is he has a difficulty with self discipline when it comes to “eating too much” at night.  I will have fixed a healthy, yummy supper that leaves you “pleasantly full” and then Tracy has to go and raid the pantry or fridge and finish supper with 2 bowls of cold cereal, chips and salsa, or ½ a bag of M&M's. There have been many mornings I have awoke to a bag of chips on the counter that he opened and enjoyed when he had a midnight snack craving.(sigh!)

I want to live until we are

in our 90’s in great health together! 

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(our little family in Spring 2004)

(here and here 

for previous anniversary posts!)

Looking forward to another 

20, 30 and 40 years together as the 

"Happily Married Smith's"!! 

So blessed beyond measure 

to have this wonderful man in my life!