Six Years of Childlike Wonder

As Kim mentioned in her latest post, we celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary yesterday. After picking up some delectable morel mushrooms at the Farmer’s Market, we had lunch at Ian’s Pizza (Mac and Cheese pizza for Kim, Philly Cheesesteak for me.) Then we toured the new Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and the Olbrich Botanical Gardens — both free! — and capped off the evening at The Eldorado Grill for dinner and the Hilton’s Olive Lounge for some dueling piano action. It was a beautiful day, packed with new adventures and a cornucopia of childlike curiosity.

Ever since we spent a chunk of our honeymoon at Walt Disney World (big surprise, huh?) we decided to do something childlike on every anniversary. Here’s the rundown so far:

• Year 1: Saw flying chainsaws and Liberace-wardrobed elephants at the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus.
• Year 2: Visited Toys R Us on Times Square in New York.
• Year 3: Went to see how they make beer and said hi to Sue, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, while she was staying at the Milwaukee Public Museum.
• Year 4: Rented a small cabin near Devil’s Lake and roasted marshmallows over a tiny gas stove.
• Year 5: Spent our actual anniversary at an elementary school spring festival manning a Kim & Jason table and watching the kids play some pretty festive music with a hodge podge of instruments. (The following day we went to see Star Wars Episode III.)

Trying to do something childlike each year has been a good little tradition. It has helped me take stock of what a lucky guy I am and appreciate the things I treasure about our relationship. It reminds Kim and I to stay young, keeps Adultitis at bay, and it forces us to keep our minds active and thinking outside the box, rather than settling into the same ol’ routines. I highly recommend it. And I’m looking forward to seeing what the list looks like twenty years from now.

[tags]anniversary, Madison, childlike, tradition, marriage[/tags]