It was the dried ramen noodle stuck to our porch deck when nearly everything else was arranged in such simple, beautiful detail.
It was our pastor praying for dinner just as a lilting, cheerful song was playing from the “Picnic Party Playlist.”
It was talking about potty training with one of my dearest friends while we sat in the garden, picnic blankets spread out.
It was noticing the happy wildflower shoots springing up–the seeds I forgot I even planted–while chatting with friends and pushing my daughter on the Little Tikes swing.
Delight mixed effortlessly and even exhaustingly with the normal, the everyday.
And in the end isn’t that the celebration?
The everyday in a decade sustained and blessed by our Lord.
Children played in the garden, in the sandbox, with the goats, on the zipline. Church family and neighbors gathered in the garden, on the porch– here & there–and chatted life…the hard things about it too.
There was laughter and lopsided cake with sprinkles. Paper roses from our wedding and the original cake topper from that day ten years ago which had been filled to the brim with sunshine and Mojave wind.
To see the fruit of our labor after a decade together and nearly nine years in this house was a blessing from God–joy unfurled tangibly.❤
The purple party banner stretched long across the garden and our wedding guest book got dusted off and had another chance to shine as our dear friends who do everyday life with us–trenches, mountaintops and all–signed the pages.
Invitations were handed out and everyone was to come with their own picnic, but I made sure they knew to expect cake. Exclamation point.
These classic funfetti cakes with white sugary frosting and generous sprinkles are becoming “the thing” I’m known for at church gatherings.
No one tells you how fun it is to get older and finally have “things” like that. Dishes people see and might just say, “Oh that’s a Sierra cake!” How fun is that.🎉
So there we were ten years in with perfect spring breezes, tired kids, a dried ramen noodle, a guest book filling up again, and purple gingham plates tossed in the trash after helpings of happy, lopsided cake.
When it is beautiful, let it beautiful.
So, we do.
Praise God from whom all blessing flow.
Happy 10th Wedding Anniversary, Ben.
I could not imagine a better life. I love what we’ve chosen together. In the choosing we have laughed deep and long and God has held us fast in everything hard and everything good.
(And so very much as been good.)
Now, to peel that ramen noodle off the porch deck.☺
read more:
How Our Garden Began + 7th Wedding Anniversary reflections (a story hard-won)
❤
Sierra V. Fedorko 
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