Key to my Heart

Well, this post is kind of long and truly LONG overdue!

Waaay back in December - the 7th to be exact - was my 20th Wedding Anniversary. Per usual, we were doing something involving Emma's skating that night AND it was pouring down rain. Not just a little downpour, but literally raining buckets!
So, after dropping her off at the rink, Mark and I went to Carraba's Italian for a nice meal - at least we could sneak away and do that!
Once we got there and dried off, we had a lovely evening and exchanged gifts. My post today is sharing the card and gift box that I made for Mark. I actually have been meaning to share it since the week after our anniversary, but something else always popped up instead.

Anyway, here is the card and envelope (no, you can't see the mushy message I wrote inside!):

And here is the card with the gift box I decorated to hold his present:

I used one of the Kraft Gift Boxes that are still available to order. They are the perfect size for many gifts and so easy to decorate and personalize.

Mark really loved his card and gift. It's kind of funny, we gave each other rings! Neither of us knew the other was buying a ring, so it was really cool to "exchange rings" again at 20 years! Here's a photo we took at the restaurant with my phone - it's not very good, but you can see my blingy anniversary band (he did REALLY good!) and his sterling silver ring. His ring is inscribed with part of a verse from Joshua and says "Be Strong and Courageous". Mark's not a jewelry guy, but he wears this ring all the time now.

So, after we picked up Emma from the rink, Mark had a huge surprise for me. He had arranged with the current pastor of the church we'd been married in for us to come in that evening and renew our vows.
Oh yes, he did!
And it gets better - he printed out vows for us to exchange and put them in a card that he gave to me when we got to the church.
So, with Emma as our witness, we went up to the altar where we'd stood 20 years before and promised to love, honor and cherish all over again. Pretty cool, huh? I'd say I married the right guy!

When we got home he'd bought me roses and a small chocolate cake:

And as if that wasn't enough, it gets better!

On Friday night after our anniversary, Mark took me to the Kennedy Center. We got dressed up - which we never do - and went to see the Canadian Tenors.
Well, Mark has a friend who works at the Kennedy Center and lets just say that he made sure we were taken care of very well. We were given a window seat at the Roof Top Restaurant for our meal and they brought us dessert and champagne as a gift. Then, Mark's friend took our tickets and seated us in the Chairman of the Board's box which is right next to the President's Box - yes, the President of the United States! We truly had the best seats in the house!

Well, it gets better!

After the concert, there were several White House staffers taking photos in the President's Box and we offered to take a photo of them together. Then they invited us OVER TO THEIR BOX to see it and to take some more photos.
Well, you didn't have to ask us twice!

Let me just say it was an amazing experience to stand where so many of our nation's leaders had spent relaxing evenings being entertained by some of the best. So cool!
Here's a photo of us taken from the President's Box overlooking the stage:

So as if that wasn't enough - it gets better!

Yep, as we were leaving, Mark's friend met us and asked us if we wanted to get in the front of the line to meet the Canadian Tenors. As much as I wanted to, I saw how long that line was and knew that it would be really rude for us to just cut completely to the front, so I said no. BUT, Mark's friend said he understood and had a better idea.
He took us past the box doors again and through a side door that led BACKSTAGE! Yep! And just about that time, here come the Canadian Tenors, walking out to meet their fans. So they stopped to talk, just for a minute and we were able to tell them how very much we'd enjoyed their peformance. It was awesome! And as if that wasn't enough - one of them turned around as he was leaving and said to me "And I really like your coat!".
Ok, sounds funny, but I have a really pretty dress coat that I bought at a local boutique - on sale - last year. It's not something I can wear everyday, so I was very excited to be able to dress up and wear it! And then to have one of the Canadian Tenors compliment me - well, there you go! I need to be finding ways to wear it all the time! HaHa!

I know this was a long post, but I've been wanting to share this story and the card I'd made Mark for a while now, so I hope you've gotten a smile or two from it.
My husband is really a wonderful man and like his card to me said "I'd Marry You All Over Again". And I would.

Stamped blessings everyone,
~~Robin