A Gift for Steve

I am the worst at giving gifts. I love to give them, but I love to give things to people they probably don't want, like books. I LOVE books. But I'm a weirdo, because if you buy me a book as a gift, I'm very unlikely to read it. There's something about going to the bookstore, browsing, contemplating, choosing, purchasing, and taking it home to dive into the journey. When someone gives me a book, it takes away the pleasure of the whole first part of the ride, ergo leaving me with a strange feel about the whole thing. I'm down with a gift card! Just don't buy me a book.
But this blog is about Steve's gift. Today is our 10 year anniversary, and I wanted to get something for him that wouldn't break the bank, but would be meaningful and cool. So, I did my research on google yesterday afternoon, and THOUGHT that it said the modern 10th anniversary gift is leather. Excitedly, I pick up Alex from the bus stop, get her home to do homework, and shuffle her out to purchase Steve a leather gift; I'm on a mission. We scoot up to the Hamilton Town Center, and I enter the luggage store to pick out a leather passport book. A card gets picked out, Alex and I chow on some mac and cheese at Noodles and top it off with a scoop of Cold Stone Creamery. What a night!
This morning I woke Steve up at the God-awful hour I leave in the morning, and give him his gift: a leather passport book. I explain that this book is symbolic of our journey. We dreamed of going many places when we married, and although we haven't traipsed through the streets of Paris, eaten gelato in Italy, or lay on the beaches of Costa Rica, we have visited many emotional places together.
We have traveled through job loss, birth, moves, infertility, adoption, miscommunication, depression, joy, laughter, friendship, uncertainty, grace, and most importantly, love. I will take those journeys any day over the wonders of the world, as long as he's by my side.
Although we are taking a huge trip this year to Ethiopia to bring home our son, I know the next ten years will be filled with the possibility of all of the above and perhaps more. I'm certain that we will fill up that passport book with trips to many destinations.
I love you, Steve. Happy Anniversary.