seven and ten years

Today is our dual anniversary. After we were married, we realized that we had (completely unintentionally) gotten married exactly three years after our first date. Since there was no first date ceremony (no starting gun was fired, no one yelled "go!") and we had been friends before dating, we had to retrospectively decide which was our first date. We agreed it had been the night Stephen had ordered in seafood. The occasion was made memorable by the fact that he had bounced a check to pay for it, so it stood out in his mind.

So one day in the first year of our marriage, we came across an old checkbook of his. We were laughing at the fact that he used to pay like $100 in rent (having six roommates), and we came across that check that had bounced. The date was October 13, the same day we picked for our wedding.

So in honor of our anniversary, here are seven things, big and small, that I love about Stephen:

1. His cooking. He makes the best Italian food you ever had. I had to marry him before he would let me in on his spaghetti sauce recipe.

2. His sense of humor. He can crack me up like no one else. And luckily, he is not afraid to laugh at himself too, or let me laugh at him (vs. with him) on occasion.

"We won't be able to get online in Prague, everything will be in Czech!"

And he's always a nice about it when he laughs at (vs. with) me.

Me: "The batteries on my car clicker must have gone out because it wouldn't work. I didn't know what to do - I left my list in the store. Luckily I had my cell phone, so I called the store and explained that I was outside but unable to leave my car since I can't leave it unlocked, so could they please bring my list outside to me?"

Stephen: "?!"

3. His smooth moves. He is so good at surprises that you would never expect. On one of our earliest dates, he pretended not to know where to go, making me sweat over what place to pick for my birthday dinner. He pretended to drive to a random restaurant, but when we entered it was "Hello Mr. Mandala, let me show you to your table..." In college we called him Sneak Attack Steve because he would come out of nowhere and kiss me, regardless of who I was dating at the time. He really knows how to make a person feel like the center of the world. He is so good at surprises and romantic gestures, that there is one unintended downside. Whenever there is a change of plans, there is a small part of me that thinks "ooh! maybe this is a surprise!" But then again, how many people get to feel that in their day?

4. He is so generous. Seriously, this is a man who loves to give gifts. I sometimes have to talk him out of giving extravagant gifts to people. If we could, he would take everyone in our family to Italy or Hawaii. Or both. He really thinks about the gifts he gives. He commissioned a painting for me on the one year anniversary of our first date. Had the restaurant hang it on the wall and everything. He pays attention all year long, gathering ideas, then spoils me rotten at Christmas. When Stella was born, he surprised me in the recovery room with a pink sapphire and diamond ring. For Stella, he said, when she's grown up. You wear it for her until then. Kiddo can have it when she gets her PhD. But he's not only generous with gifts, he also has a generosity of spirit that is truly uncommon. He knows what it is and what it takes to have relationships with people, even when it is difficult. He is welcoming to our guests and always willing to help people.

5. He is an amazing father. Have you seen our baby? She adores him. Laughs out loud when he comes in the room. I love him more every time I see our daughter look at him with such joy.

6. He's got his own style. In Italy last fall, we came across a store that was full of orange sweaters. It was like he had found the mothership. I love that he is not afraid of color. When we first got together he had probably 45 blue plaid shirts. He's come a long way...

7. He makes me so very happy. He indulges my crazy ideas, even when they are half-baked and half-finished. He's a good sport. He's incredibly insightful about people. He built an incredible business and I know there will be much more ahead. He has good instincts, good ideas and good intentions. I am so proud to be his wife.