Sixth Anniversary Gifts - Iron & Candy

Today was our sixth wedding anniversary which is the Iron and Candy year.

Charlotte was so excited to celebrate all day long as a family! 

These photos were snapped as she patiently waited for us to get ready to go on our anniversary surprise. 

I told her today that she was Daddy's and my best wedding gift and that God gave her to us as a wedding present. ❤️

Last night, we took Charlotte mini golfing at a new place that had just opened near our town. I am not a golfer but I grew up with a dad and three brothers who went any chance they could get. Therefore, when brainstorming iron themed gifts or outings, I thought going to the new mini golfing place would be perfect! Besides, Wikipedia has this to say regarding Iron and golf. 

An iron is a type of club used in the sport of golf to propel the ball towards the hole. ... Irons are the most common type of club; a standard set of 14 golf clubs will usually contain between 7 and 11 irons, including wedges.

What does this have to do with marriage? Well, using the iron, or type of club, takes precision, observation, and patience as you hone your skill and take turns in a give and take sort of flow. What a great metaphor in applying these same ideas to marriage and family! 

So back to this morning, Adam prepared a yummy breakfast of (candied) bacon marmalade egg on toast to go with my sweet Chocolate Macadamia Nut coffee. Do you sense the theme yet?

As Charlotte, Mom, Adam, and I enjoyed breakfast, we opened the anniversary cards from one of my brothers and from Mom. It was fun to reminisce about what we were doing six years ago today throughout the day. I then presented Adam with his gift. I asked if he had any guesses and tried to throw him off with saying he had recently acquired some new clothes and did he need to iron them? I asked how his vitamins taste... Is the iron vitamin a fruity or otherwise sweet flavor and did I get him some? Did he need another cast iron skillet? He didn't seem to believe my suggestions as to what his gift might be. 

However, he seemed genuinely surprised and grateful by the latest cooking gadget saying he had been wanting one for a while when he did open the real gift. 😊

Next, it was time to do the experiential part of the anniversary gift I had planned for all of us. Remember, this anniversary'gifts are meant to be based on both iron and candy. Any guesses on where we went after a 48 minute drive? The destination was on Adams Ave. in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. 

We went to a candy store in Pennsylvania to celebrate the sweet part of this year's anniversary theme. I had heard of Sarris Candy through school fundraisers but we had never been to the store or the attached ice cream parlor until today. What a treat it was!! 

Check out this massive chocolate candy castle! 

After purchasing some candy to take home with us, we ordered our ice cream desserts. The portions were huge and the ice cream was oh so creamy and good! Charlotte had vanilla with rainbow sprinkles, Mom had a small sundae, Adam had a banana split, and I enjoyed a scoop of peanut butter cookie dough and Bear Trax which was vanilla ice cream with small peanut butter cups and ribbons of chocolate in it. YUM! 

We enjoyed sitting outside in the sun but definitely needed to cool off in the car once we had our fill of the ice cream. On the way home, we stopped at the local park where a Story Walk had been set up to try to walk off some of the sweet treats we had enjoyed. 

The story was about seeds and how they grow. I couldn't help but think about how Adam's and my story started with a tiny seed or spark on 10/21/13 that has grown over time as has Charlotte. I then consider the story of the mustard seed and how sometimes the things that seem so ordinary, so small, so seemingly insignificant can grow to be magnificent, larger than we could ever dream, and inspiring! Iron is strong and can sharpen and be refined much as how marriage can go through trials, come under fire, and hopefully emerge stronger than ever. At the same time, love is sweet and whimsical which was one of the describing words that popped in my head at the candy store when we first entered. Six years in and I still remember the sweetness Adam displayed in those early days of courtship. Making or preparing a recipe, such as that for a particular type of candy, can take time and careful attention to detail. The same can be said about marriage. May Adam's and my commitment to one another and our family be strong like iron and may it be sweet and peaceful for not only the two of us but also for our greatest (and usually, sweetest) wedding gift!