" A successful marriage requires falling in love many times,
always with the same person."
~Mignon McLaughlin

Yesterday, my husband and I celebrated our first amazing year of marriage! We had an absolutely exceptional meal at The Capital Grille, where we also dined during our honeymoon. The meal featured outstanding service by our waiter, Neal, who, is also the proud owner of 3 Jack Russell puppies. The filet mignon was MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH, and the coconut cream pie and cheesecake were TO-DIE-FOR (and FREE!) We ate our weight in pumpernickel raisin bread, and then Neal smuggled us an entire warm loaf wrapped in a napkin in our doggie bag! Now, that's service!

My husband and I spent the dinner enjoying every single bite of our food and going back and forth reciting one "good" memory and one "hard" memory from our first year of marriage. As you can see, we really enjoyed the food :)

(Barely a drop of whipped cream left on that dessert platter! hee hee!)

During our little dinnertime "game," I was reminded of how much I've changed and learned in the process. Here are just a few...

Even though I didn't know it was possible, I love my husband more than I did a year ago :)
Although it's hard to not always get my own way, it's ultimately more fulfilling to learn how to be selfless.
Marriage is dreaming about possibility but living joyfully in the present.
Just "being" together is more important than the dirty dishes being washed (tough one for me!)
When you are both surrendered to God, somehow this unexplainable thing happens: the joyful moments outweigh the difficult times.
Brokenness is meant to bring us freedom.
Smuggling people their favorite bread in a real cloth napkin is a surefire way to get them to return next year.

After dinner, we strolled in the 100 degree heat (yes, at 10pm - only in Texas!!!) to the beautiful fountain in the Crescent Court to finish off the evening...