Jamie PattersonWhen you think of wedding anniversaries, visions begin to circulate through your mind of the perfect way to celebrate those happy years of marriage.
A candlelit table with gourmet food prepared in front of you may be your idea of a perfect night. Soft classical music in the background could be just the touch. A sweet toast followed by a soft kiss may be the icing on the cake. And the night would end with two sweethearts gazing into each other’s eyes, highlighting the “oh, how do I love thee” moments.
Jason and I celebrated our wedding anniversary this week. And we added our own special touches to it that made it my own vision of perfection.
Wednesday morning started off like any other morning. The only difference was that I was up at the crack of dawn. I had a dentist appointment with a specialist in Jackson, and I had to be ready and out the door by 6:30 a.m.
Jason woke up a few minutes before I was to leave. With hair sticking up and eyes barely open, he gave me a hug.
“Happy anniversary,” he said.
I just started grinning. He remembered, I thought to myself.
So, to start my anniversary off, I was under a drill at the dentist office. I was also told that I needed to wear a mouth guard at night because I apparently grind my teeth.
The end of the work day finally arrived, and we headed home to officially begin the anniversary celebrations.
“Baby,” Jason said, walking into the kitchen. “You won’t believe what happened.”
Jason had picked up a few things at the store to prepare the perfect steak dinner for me at home. He had everything; the steak, crisp salad, even my favorite – a Snickers bar.
He even purchased a romantic card for me to read over dinner.
“Well, I put the bags in the back of the truck,” Jason said, moving his arms to explain the situation. “And the wind starting picking the bags up. The card went flying out of the back of the truck into the street.”
Jason then produced the receipt to prove he had purchased the card. I just started laughing.
We had the best supper. There was steak, fried okra, baked potato and a salad. It was better than anything in a restaurant.
But there were a few differences between our dining experience and a five-star restaurant.
There was no classical music in the background. We listened to the heavy metal background of James’ monster truck movie. There was no gazing into each other’s eyes. I had James in my arms, who was trying to sneak a few pieces of okra in his mouth.
As part of my gift, Jason also cleaned up the whole kitchen and put James to bed so that I could relax in bed.
In the bedroom, there were no roses or candles to set the mood. There I was in bed, sliding my new mouth guard into place and turning my lamp off.
Our anniversary may not have been like the ones they talk about in books or what you see in movies.
But it was perfect for me, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
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Jamie Patterson is a reporter for The Yazoo Herald. She can be reached at 746-4911 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .