eleven

he took me to a place called the chocolate bar for dessert.  the waitress explained some things on the menu & then he said boldy "that one, that's the one she's gonna want".  

he was right.  he knows me well.  well enough to know that as good as the warm brownie with cinnamon ice cream & caramel sauce sounds, i will want the molten chocolate cake with coffee ice cream & hot fudge.  

eleven years will do that to you.  you can order chocolate for your wife.  getting out to be alone, to have a nice dinner & actually celebrate by eating that chocolate is harder because it's not just you & he anymore, it's you & he & she & she & he.  but the ordering, the knowing, it's easier & you can order chocolate for your wife.  you can talk for hours.  you can sit in silence for a while.  with goldfish crumbs stuck to the bottom of your feet & milk spilt on the kitchen table, you can glance across the house, in all it's disarray, and smile knowing that it is our disarray.  you can laugh & have fun.  you can take grace & give grace because you've learned that this exchange is where true love really lives...no other home will suffice.  

in mississippi in 2001,we couldn't have imagined what life would be like 11 years later.  we stood & said we would follow God together & He has taken to places sweet & unique & deep & difficult & wonderful.  overwhelmed with gratefulness that He gave me a husband like matt mooney!  happy anniversary.

st louis dinner...yes, we ate at a place called eleven eleven mississippi on the 11th anniversary of our wedding date that took place in mississippi:)

st louis dessert.

so the chocolate bar gives you a little soft chocolate cookie before right when you sit down.  that's my kinda place!