By the time you read this, I’ll be sitting in a warm, tropical place with the love of my life. Ocean waves. Fruity drinks. Warm, salty air. A huge stack of books. And Troy.

Not that I’m excited about this trip or anything.

As I write and schedule this post, I still sit in my living room, wearing layers of warm sweats and looking out our front window at an unexpected snowy landscape. The morning’s chaos of getting children fed and out the door and a husband off to work has ebbed for a brief moment–more chaos is yet to come. Writing deadlines and a mile long to-do list wait for me. And soon everyone will rush back in the front door demanding my attention. But for this moment, I’m dreaming.

This trip was a last-minute deal, booked in a moment of spontaneity and warm fuzzy love for my husband. I love those moments. Although I told him to block off the dates, I haven’t told him why. This trip is a surprise, a labor of love for a man who has done much to honor our marriage and family. The past several months have been a strange combination of difficult and wonderful. We’re thankful for many reasons, but also a bit tired. Time to breathe and enjoy each other.

Our anniversary is coming up at the end of this month. It’s a big one. 10 years of wedded bliss. Okay, maybe not all bliss. But we’ve made it over a hump–several humps–and I’m celebrating a love that pressed on in spite of challenges. I don’t have a perfect husband. And my husband doesn’t have a perfect wife. He is my knight in dulled armor, and I am his somewhat fair but more often moody maiden.

After 10 years we’ve learned to embrace the imperfections in each other. The imperfections in ourselves. We still have moments of conflict. He still drives me crazy sometimes, and I do the same to him. But we know we scored it big when we found each other. And this week we’re taking five days to remember and be thankful.

Even today I’m thankful for what is yet to come. Gratitude is like that. It not only celebrates the past and the present, but it’s reaches out in thankfulness to what is yet to come. Each moment is a gift. Even moments of anticipation.

What are you thankful for today?