Some steel please

Tomorrow G & I will have been married for 11 years. Sjoe! We've actually been together since April 1994 (bar the 6 months we broke up), making it 15 years.... While I can obviously remember a time BG (before G), it's difficult to imagine that life again. It's also not a life I would choose for myself.

As I reflect on the past 11 (or 15 years, depending on how far back I want to go), I can recall the heady feeling of being utterly in love. I can also recall the months when I was convinced the marriage was over & just wanted out. I recall the highs of falling pregnant, and giving birth to Nellie, and the low of losing Zoe. I recall the terror of moving to London, and the joy of moving back home. I recall how our marriage, our love, our relationship has been through such ups and downs.

There is no-one, with the possible exception of my parents, who knows me better. Not only does this man know all my faults and weaknesses, but he loves me anyway. We both know I'm high maintenance, yet he faithfully and lovingly continues to "maintain" me. We both know I can be a grouchy, hormonal, self-absorbed cow, yet he lovingly continues to serve me.

This man, while he has his faults, continues to be towards me as Christ is towards his Church. He is an incredible husband and father, and my bestest friend in the whole wide world. (And friends are really important in a woman's life.) While I have no doubt that I would eventually cope should anything happen to him, I honestly hope I never, ever have to face life without him by my side.

This year, we've decided not to celebrate our anniversary on the day. Rather, we're going to take a day next week, while Nellie is at nursery, and have a whole day just by ourselves to indulge each other - starting with breakfast at Kirstenbosch. I can't wait! A whole day, just him and me - no kids or pets to worry about, no work to interrupt, and no computer to tempt us away from each other.

After 11 years, we're supposed to give each other the gift of steel. I'd love to buy him a proper sword, but haven't the money to buy the quality of sword I'd consider. So... what else? He's not much into wearing rings, and he's already got a beautiful watch... oh wait! I've just thought of the perfect gift! Practical, hopefully not to expensive, and VERY significant for our relationship. Now, how am I going to get it in time without him finding out????