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22 August 2013

Four Years


Simon and I are celebrating our four year anniversary today so hello! And welcome to gushfest 2K13 .... you may leave at any time. I think it's probably pretty common (and if not ... I'd like to know what species you are because surely you can't be human?) for married couples to come to know and notlove a few things about their spouses as they continue to get to know each other in the early years of marriage. Simon has learned that when I say, "let me just change real fast" what I realllllly mean is, "let me try on 8 different outfits before I put my original outfit back on - it will take 18 minutes" and that I make Everests out of ant hills and that my definition of "the! worst! day! ever!" involves a lot of shitty diapers which really isn't that bad of a day at all and he rolls with all of these things and more. But I'm not here to dwell on the negative - for once. Nay! I'm here to tell you four of the things I've come to learn and really appreciate about Simon since we've been married. Maybe this is more of a birthday type of post but I have no marital wisdom to impart on you and yours today and well ... this is what I'm doing to the tune of Theo crying and crying and crying. Bear with me.


Simon is ......................

The nicest guy. Really. Our moms went to high school together and I can't tell you how many times (long before Simon and I even became a thang) that my mom would say, "Ann Patton is thee nicest person I've ever known" and she, along with Simon's dad, passed that genuine politeness down to Simon and his siblings. More times than not when I'm talking to Simon when he's at work do we get interrupted because Simon spots someone that looks a little lost so he always stops to see if they need help and/or directions. I remember being taken aback by how nice and considerate he was when we first started talking and I probably should stop and appreciate this more because, like many things, I take it for granted far too often.

Ever the doer. My idea of downtime after the kids have gone down for the night is something along the lines of Hulu or wall staring. Simon always pops down to the basement to pick it up or grabs his books to study or exercises or takes charge of the laundry disaster etc. Lazy is my thing, not his.

Open to life. We talked about this at length while we were dating and while he's open to having as many children as God blesses us with he is always quick to qualify that statement with the fact that we have a great responsibility to raise kids to know and (hopefully!) love their Faith. Julia equates decent Mass behavior with cafeteria donuts so I'd say we're doing a great job in that respect thus far.

He's curious. Oh I love to make fun of his little placard loving heart but when I was working in DC he was genuinely interested in the types of faxes I sorted. He loves to pick my dad's brain about his work, enjoys hearing about the plot of the trashy beach reads I'm reading, and I always find the most interesting Google searches in the morning if he's stayed up later than I have (steampunk was my favorite).

And I could go on and on but I have to save some juicy for the written card.

Happy Anniversary, Simon! And cheers to a few more ...



... at least!



more more more ...
first anniversary
second anniversary
third anniversary 
and wedding pictures for the infinitionth time




60 comments:

  1. Happy Happy Happy Happy Anniversary! So wonderful. Made for each other. <3

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  2. I really love this. 1, 2, 3, and 4. It sounds very much like what I love about my husband. (And we were also married four years this summer.) Happy anniversary! I hope you all get away to do a little something fun.

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  3. Congratulations, you two! Four years... We're about to celebrate our third and it's hard to believe how the time has flown. Congratulations again and here's to millions more years.

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  4. Happy anniversary, you two!! You're a beautiful couple, make beautiful children, and are such an example of His love. You are both in my prayers in a special way today! :)

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  5. Happy anniversary! rear dress was (is?) stunning.

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  6. Happy anniversary to both of you!! Here's to many more years of love, love, love!!!

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  7. Every time I see your wedding photos, I always think you had the prettiest dress/veil/updo in all the land. Seriously. Congrats!

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  8. Happy Anniversary Simace! Prayers for you tonight :) Congratulations!

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  9. Congratulations!!! I wish you many many more years together.
    Oh, and you look a lot like Julia on those pics ;)

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  10. Beautiful! I teared up at the "open to life" statement. What a beautiful bond to have... knowing that your husband loves you enough to want as many mini-yous as God gives you... knowing that you don't have the burden of worrying about unplanned or unwanted pregnancies, knowing that they are all wanted... and what a sign of a lifelong commitment to want to raise children secure in their family and faith. Much <3 to Camp Patton and many happy returns!
    heather

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  11. Congrats!!! You guys seemed to have packed a lot of adventure into four years!!! At you haves my more to come..

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  12. Four years and only 3 children? Tsk tsk.

    (You know I tease. Happy anniversary!!)

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  13. This is so sweet! Happy anniversary! Hope you get to celebrate!

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  14. Happy, Happy Anniversary Grace and Simon!! May you be blessed with many more years of joy, love and lots of laughter. Blessings and Grace to you both...

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  15. Grace, I know you must get this ALLLLL the time, but you are gorgeous. Seriously. Happy anniversary & may God grant you and Simon many many many more anniversaries to celebrate!

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  16. Happy anniversary! Have a wonderful day celebrating ;)

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  17. Oh, so gorgeous :0). Happy! happy! happy! happy! (that was 4, see?) ;)

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  18. Yay! Out of the 'newlywed' years! Cheers!

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  19. Aww happy anniversary Dr and Mrs <3

    Praying you will be blessed with many more years together!

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  20. Really enjoyed reading this, Grace. Wishing you many more years of wedded bliss!

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  21. Happy Anniversary!! I hope you two have a chance to get out and do something special.

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  22. Such a sweet post! Happy Anniversary!

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  23. Happy anniversary! You guys are awesome!

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  24. Happiest of annual-versaries to you and Simone <3 I'm so happy you guys got married, because without the marriage, there would be no little Pattons, and without the little Pattons, there would be no Camp. And since I managed to somehow make this about me, I'm sorry. Cheers to another few years (at least 50 or 70) of making memories <3

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  25. Aww, congrats!

    -Vicky

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  26. Happy Anniversary!!! We celebrated our fourth this summer too, only I wasn't nearly as sweet as you and maaaaaybe complained about driving home really late. Just maybe.

    Here's to many, many more years of Pattonness! (That's a term I just coined here.)

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  27. happy anniversary! you two are so cute!

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  28. Maybe it's the horrendous day we had over here, but I just almost cried reading this, so so sweet.

    You win the cutest couple superlative for the year, hands down.

    Happy anniversary!!

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  29. Happy Anninversary to a great couple! Your love is so deep and true that it radiates in this post! I love your love, it reminds me to be thankful for what I have with my husband and rejoice in others love as well!

    Congratulations on four years & three adorable kids! I wish you both many more years of happiness, a sitter for a night out and dancing (complete with harem pants), and no more call weekends! xo

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  30. Happy, happy Anniversary!! I remember the 3-year one, along with the soon-to-be Theo announcement. I laughed about the "bless his placard loving heart" - that is my husband, completely! When we are in an actual museum, or touring yet another battlefield, I have to place limits and remind him that tiny children who can't read are not conducive to long, slow walks through the place while he read Every.Single.Word....!

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  31. happy anniversary!! you were a stunning bride! we celebrated our 4th this month too. time sure flies!

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  32. Happy Anniversary! I love your photos. Simon sounds so perfect for you :)

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  33. love this post grace! happy anniversary!!

    xo
    jenna
    mama daze blog

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  34. Ah Happy Anniversary!! Marriage is THE BEST:)

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  35. Best post ever! Happy anniversary! This is the first picture I've seen of your wedding dress--STUNNING! Can't believe you've only been married four years. Makes me feel old. :) What a wonderful couple you are. So great that you will be able to raise so many great kids together.

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  36. Happy anniversary, Simace! Thanks for letting your lives be shared with the world through this blog! Lemme tell ya, it does us all a bit of good, and give us reasons to laugh on the not-best days. Thanks for sharing generously!

    I also read all the other anniversary posts! Last year was the first anniversary I spent with Camp Patton, and what a memorable one 'twas! Happy day. :)

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  37. Just wanted to say CONGRATS!!!! So happy for you both, and this was such sweet post. Hope you get to celebrate this weekend!

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  38. Congratulations! I also want to say that I admire people so much who have three kids and then I find out they've been married for like, four years. I think you're courageous, and I pray that I can be that courageous.

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  39. Happy Anniversary! Here's to many more!

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  40. Ahhhhhhhh...I love couples who love each other! You two are great, and your fan club here loves reading about the trials and tribs of your everyday lives as much as we love the sweet anniversary posts. Thanks so much for sharing your fam with us! Happy Anniversary!

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  41. Wow, your wedding photos are amazing. Happy anniversary!

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  42. Happy 4th!! You guys are so Steubenville :)

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  43. Happy anniversary!!! I have never seen your wedding pictures before- they are stunning! You and your family are beautiful :) hope you had a great day!

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  44. Steampunk, you say? I am thoroughly impressed. Happy anniversary!

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  45. Happy anniversary Grace and Simon!!! :)

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  46. oh my gosh! you guys are adorable! happy four years!!
    xo

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  47. alright, simon seriously sounds like a gem. whatever.

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