#2,162 7th Anniversary Date in Oxford.

The drive into Oxford today was breathtaking. I forget the fiery red and golden hardwoods that proliferate north Mississippi far outnumber the pines, and it’s a magical thing to see the leaves at their peak on that drive from Baldwyn to Oxford.

Our first stop on our anniversary date was a meeting with a new instagram friend, Nick Weaver from Blue Delta Jean Co., makers of bespoke jeans. He and Ben have hit it off via the Scotsman Co. posts and we wanted to meet up and discuss a future collaboration. He reminded us so much of Ben’s college roommate, Chase, so we immediately felt good about him.

The story of their company and the work they do is fascinating. Every pair of jeans they make are from cotton grown in the South, the patterns are made, and the fabric cut and sewn to your specifications right here in Mississippi. How cool is that?

Afterward Ben and I went walking around the corner to Square Books, the place we spent date nights in college reading books we couldn’t afford to buy, the place he proposed on his birthday in September 2007. It’s such a dear place to me now and I can’t bear to leave it without taking home at least 2 books.

By then we were hungry and couldn’t decide on which highly reviewed new Oxford restaurant to try, so we settled on an old favorite‚ Italian at Old Venice where we shared tomato bisque that was divine, then creole pasta for Ben and eggplant parmesan with roasted vegetables for me.

With full bellies and chattering teeth in the freezing cold, we walked to High Point to warm up with coffee for him and the absolute most delicious apple cider for me. It was really more like apple pie a la mode in a cup, a tangy, spiced apple cider with whipped cream and caramel that I’m mourning 2 hours since I finished the cup. I almost want to drive back to Oxford for more tomorrow!

Just a few steps away, we walked past the charming alley between city hall and Skipwith Cottage where, on my 20th birthday, Ben set up a little table and surprised me with a home-cooked steak dinner because he couldn’t afford to take me out for dinner at one of the fancy restaurants on the Square. I loved him so so much in that moment, I remember. We found that the tiny little cottage has since been moved from the Square, but our spot is still there.

And then on our way out of town, I asked Ben if we could just drive past the chapel where we were married, for old times sake. He obliged, and we found a surprise…

The door was open.

We walked down to the altar and he gave me a kiss. I haven’t been in that room since the day I became a wife, and it made me feel tears coming for just a second. I pulled out my phone and hit play on Scotland the Brave, our wedding recessional song that was played on real bagpipes by our friend Jessie, and we walked back out to head home.

No matter what, he always finds a way to make every occasion so special I wish I could put the night into a scrapbook. I guess that’s what this blog is, really. The only way I know how to hold on to the most perfect moments of our life.

That’s the stuff worth remembering.