Thursday (May 24) was our actual anniversary and we kicked off with dinner on our deck. (sidenote: When I came home from being out Remy had my favorite flowers waiting for me, so that's actually what kicked it off.) We hung around the house for a bit before we went over to our friends Laura and Chris' house. They generously offered us a BOGO coupon to go see a movie (The Hunger Games- we read the series together so we thought it was fitting). We got to the movie theater (side note: We went to the 10pm showing because you know...WE CAN!), grabbed our snacks, hurried in (thinking we were late) only to find that we had the whole place to ourselves. It was so much FUN! I have never had that happen before. I mean I have had it come close with a late straggler ruining everything but this was a first. I was able to describe without whispering awkwardly in his ear, we were able to make inappropriately timed jokes, and yell out spoilers. Once we got home we sat on the couch and snuggled and talked. We talked about everything and laughed and just enjoyed each others company into the wee hours of the morning.Friday- Ain't no party like a Chartier party because a Chartier party don't STOP! ( I mean I am a Zigler and we are known as the partiers!) ANYWAY so we continued the party on Friday evening. We got ready and snapped some pictures (and by some I mean like 50,000 but you will only see 2) and headed out for dinner.
Once we came home we watched a show from our DVR (Touch) because some of us are too old to stay up for a movie (*cough* Remy *cough* Does anyone have a hard candy? I seemed to have developed a cough.) When the show was over we light some candles, popped open our non-alcoholic bubbly, and ate our traditional anniversary cake. After the cake was eaten we gave each other our anniversary gifts. We each wrote each other a letter and then read it. Remy went first (of course I cried)
My Dearest Chelsea,
Four years
and more have come and gone since I knew I loved you. It’s hard to believe
we’ve been through so much. In all honesty I can’t help but marvel that you’re
still with me. I know you think I’m silly, but there it is. You’re everything I
always dreamed of in a wife, and everything I never found in another person. No
one has ever treated me with so much respect, love and kindness.
I know I’m not always the best at
showing it, but I appreciate everything you do. From making our houses feel
like homes, to taking me everywhere, to being someone I can talk to and rant
at. All of it makes me realize how lucky I am. I only hope I mean half as much
to you as you do to me.
I love all the little jokes and
sayings we have which nobody else gets. I love that we can be a world unto
ourselves one day, and good friends and adventurous wanderers the next. I know
you don’t always enjoy those latter times in the moment, but they always make
for amusing memories to reflect upon. I love that you are so patient and kind
to everyone, even though I know sometimes you probably want to throw things at
them.
I
am a better person after having met you. I can sense the changes within me,
though I know I have a long way to go. You have helped shape me into someone
closer to who I always wanted to be. You have taught me to express myself, to
compliment, and to put other people first. Because of you, I am more confident
and hopeful. I love you for all of that, and for just being you. I know this is
only the beginning of our life together, and I look forward to the next four –
the next forty – the next four thousand years.
With all my love,
Remy – your eternal husband.
And then it was my turn (and of course I cried)
To my dearest husband,
Four years! Isn’t that crazy to think about. Is some ways it
seems to have gone by so fast and in other ways it feel like we’ve always been
together, we’ve always been us. This
letter may have a few clichés but it’s only because I feel they really describe
how I feel and they are going to come straight from my heart. I hope I am able
to express to you how much I love you and how much you mean to me.
I love you more now than the day we got married. As I was
growing up I knew I wanted to be married. I really really wanted to have a
husband and home. I planned my wedding (oh dear heavens did I ever!) but I
never once in the process forget that once the wedding was over I would be
married. I found both of the ideas fun and exciting (the wedding and the being
married). I tried to prepare for
marriage by learning homemaking skills and reading lots of ensign articles
about what makes a good marriage. With all my preparation and planning (as with
most things in life) I had no idea what marriage would really be like. I could
never have imagined, certainly hoped but never imagined, that it would be so
wonderful, so rewarding, and such a blessing in my life.
Throughout our marriage (well so far because it’s not like
we’re done or anything) you have taught me so much. I am constantly amazed at how much I am
learning from you. I am only going to
touch on a few of those things in this letter but please know you have and
still are teaching me so much. One of the most powerful lessons I have learned
through being married to you is service.
You are so willing to do whatever I ask, always so willing to help me in
any way you can, and always so willing to get me whatever I need. I knew that
we would need to serve each other in our marriage but in my young selfish state
I was worried “If I put his needs before my own, who will take care of me?” I never should have worried because you have
done the same. You are constantly putting my needs first and with both of us looking
after each other it has made for a happy marriage. If we ever get asked what
makes for a happy marriage I will tell them- service.
You have taught me how to become the woman I want be. This
might sound a little strange but hear me out. As we both know, I have a gentle
and sensitive personality. It’s simply how I was made and you recognize those
qualities in me. You not only recognize
those traits but you let me be those. You have never belittled my sensitivity
or made me feel less because of my gentleness. You have allowed me to understand that those
are my greatest strengths. Not every husband would. Not every husband would
hold me as I cry when I think of the homeless people in the winter, or smile
when I talk about something that has especially touched my heart. You have allowed me to blossom as a woman and
because of that I feel like I can more fully fill my role as a wife and someday
mother.
You have also taught me to become a better wife. By being a
kind and gentle husband it has made me want to be a kind and gentle wife. Even
when we have moments where we encourage one another do improve on a behavior you
are always so gentle and kind with me. You make me want to be better.
Neither of us has seen a good example of how marriage is “suppose”
to be and I love that we are winging it together. I think so far so good! I love you so much and I can’t wait to see how
the rest of our lives turn out and where life takes us. I hope we can keep learning from each other,
learning about each other (crunchy peanut butter), and growing together. I am so excited that I get to keep you for
eternity!
Your loving wife
After we read our letters we reminisced about the last four years and made predictions about what our next year will look like. We still have a few things planned yet (like checker on Sunday) but so far it's all been amazing.
P.S. When I was trying to figure out what song title to use for this post this song came on the radio while we were driving home from the waterfront. Fate? I think so!
