Five years ago today, we were standing here.

Five years ago today, we were surrounded by over a hundred amazing, accomplished, wonderful people, who, magically, were here to see us.

Five years ago today, to the heavy shaking yes of my mother's head, I told you I would always use an argument not to win, but to understand you better.

Five years ago today, to the heavy shaking yes of your mother's head, I told you I would always be waiting outside of that cave, waiting for when you decide to come out.

Five years ago today, I promised you I would try my hardest to live up to the good I see in you.

Five years ago today, I promised you a baseball team for your 50th birthday party.

Five years ago this hour, I smooshed a cupcake up your nose.

I totally won that one.

The title will make absolutely no sense to you if you haven't seen the latest Star Trek.

We're finally on our way to the Valley of the Moon campground where we married five years ago.

Five years. FIVE years.

Wow.

We've been together 11. That is JUST. CRAZY.

Annie is not the awesome hunter she claims to be. I mean, just look at her here. Bug right there, RIGHT there, in front of her nose. Does she kill it? Not even with "KILL! KILL!" commands.

Dog? That was lame.

Tomorrow, Kris and I will have been married five years.

The traditional gift for the fifth year is wood. While over at Keith and Katie's, we pondered this when I asked what I could purchase or make for for Kris for our anniversary.

Wood.

Wood.

Wood.

Dur.

A bat.

A baseball bat.

And Kris could buy me a tree! Whee!

Kris left his bats at home in Viriginia when he left for college. I've asked him several times to bring them back to California with him when he returns from visits back east, but either he forgets, or I forget, and the bats remain 3500 miles away.

So, while at her house, Katie and I looked for some bats, finding a bat signed by Willie Mays for $350. I thought about it, and realized that I'd rather have a bat we can use than a bat that sits in a box mounted to the wall.

When I dashed home and told Kris what I was getting him for our anniversary, and what he was getting for me, he laughed. He had already decided to get me a tree, but was waiting for when we could both go look for one together. I had to laugh. It's a good idea.

Tonight, however, we went to buy a bat. You can't buy a bat without purchasing balls. And you can't have a ball and a bat without any way to catch the balls you hit with the bat.

So, somehow I ended up with a new baseball glove. When I asked Kris how my gift to him became an odd gift to me, he replied, "The gift isn't so much the bat, as that you're going to play baseball with me. That's the TRUE gift."

Great. Only took him 11 years to break me down.

Baseball.

Indeed.

Happy anniversary, love.