3 Years, Just Us 2

This year, E and I decided to go low key for our anniversary week. E was only able to get two days off work and we didn't feel like rushing to go somewhere out of town. We considered checking into a hotel for a staycation as well, but couldn't quite muster the energy for it. Our bed is pretty comfortable, and it comes with Milou and our kitties, which is hard to beat.

Baby S and E, a lifetime ago

So, we spent the day before celebrating E's mother's boyfriend R's birthday. E's mom and R have been dating for over a decade so he usually refers to us as his son and daughter in law. About a year ago, R did some electrical work for this wonderful, hip Venice restaurant called The Barnyard, and since then the chef has been bugging R to come eat there.  Since we finally had an excuse, we decided to head there for dinner to celebrate. The chef was truly amazing, everything was fresh, organic and delicious and we would go back in a heart beat. E had the chicken, which turned out to be phenomenal, and I had a decadent steak. Even the olives warmed in oil were amazing, and I'm not usually an olive fan. At the end of the evening, the chef comped our 9 person dinner as a birthday gift for R. You truly couldn't pick a better restaurant and chef if you have a reason to celebrate or just want a delicious meal.
On our actual anniversary, we played it very low key. E surprised me with Roses, Orchids and groceries (!) when I woke up and we spent the morning lounging in bed. It was so sweet, and so thoughtful,  even though E is usually awesome about that stuff anyway. We had hoped to get tickets to see The Book of Mormon, which is supposed to be hilarious, but weren't able to find some for a decent price on such short notice. Instead, we decided on a blast from the past and headed down PCH to a little restaurant we spent New Years Eve at years and years ago.   It's a little hole in the wall, Italian place right across from the water that makes a mean truffle ravioli.  PCH is probably my favorite road to drive and we got to wind up and down the coast enjoying the ocean and each other's company.

All in all, I'd say it was a relaxing couple of days and I'm so happy to celebrate another year together with E. Although I'm hoping this is the last anniversary we spend just the two of us for a long time, I couldn't imagine spending my life with anyone else. We've been dealing with a LOT lately in our quest to build our family, with bad news followed by more bad news, and I couldn't do it if I didn't have E to lean on.

Happy 3rd/12th Anniversary my love. No matter how we make our family happen, and how we tackle the shit news we seem to keep getting, the important thing is that we do it together. You're my everything and I love you like crazy.