Recently, my wife, Anna, and I celebrated 32 years of marriage. Our marriage has stayed strong through all the peaks and valleys of life. God has blessed me with an exceptional wife to share my life with.
This year we went out for a steak dinner (courtesy of a gift certificate from friends) and then to a Bed & Breakfast in Bragg Creek to celebrate. We’ve always made a point at doing something special for our anniversaries. Life moves along quickly and it is good to spend time celebrating the special moments.
We’ve done nice dinners, 5 star hotels, sail-boat trips, Broadway musicals, bed & breakfasts, missions trips, cruises, dogsled trips, elephant rides and overseas trips. The money we have invested in our anniversary celebrations has been well worth it.
My goal and prayer is to get to at least our 65th anniversary (God willing). I want to have a special story to go with each of those anniversaries. Here is a list of the our first 32 anniversaries so far (this summer we’ll be half-way to 65). When we go out for dinner, we go through this list and remember all the fun times along the way. Remembering and celebrating the special moments has been a great way to enhance and strengthen our marriage.
Wedding Anniversaries: Mark & Anna Cole
Honolulu, Oahu: Hawaiian Honeymoon ~ Two weeks in Waikiki (a wedding gift from Anna’s father) and a day trip to the Island of Hawaii (Top 10 Vacation)
1. Seattle, WA: Dinner and a room at the Marriott Hotel.. Josh was just 6 weeks old and we brought him with us.
2. Banff, AB: Banff Park Lodge and the Beaujolais Restaurant The best restaurant service we’ve ever had.
3. Edmonton, AB: West Edmonton Mall ~ Italian dinner and we stayed at the Fantasyland Hotel: The Truck Room. We slept in the back of a pick-up truck!
4. Phoenix, Arizona: We attended Tommy Barnett‘s Pastor’s school and also visited some friends.
5. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico: We went to PV for the first time of many times and took in a Bull fight (not my favorite experience). We also did a horse ride to a waterfall. (fun story.. Anna freaks out on horses)
6. Vancouver, BC: Four Seasons Hotel and dinner at Kobe’s Japanese Restaurant.
7. Victoria, BC: Ferry ride, Dinner and a Hotel… Note: I love Victoria in the summer but February was a little boring.
8. Carmel, CA: Tickle Pink Inn. I lead worship at a church in San Francisco and we went and spent an extra few days in California celebrating.
9. Richmond, B.C. – Bed & Breakfast and we attended a play at Gateway Theatre
10. Mexican Riviera Cruise: Los Angeles, Cabo, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan (and I got to go deep sea fishing)
11. Vancouver: Pan Pacific Hotel… great view of Stanley Park and an Italian dinner at the hotel.
12.Vancouver: Sutton Place Hotel, Vancouver and dinner at the Teahouse Restaurant
13. Vancouver: Hotel Vancouver and Forever Plaid (off Broadway musical review)
14. Vancouver: Les Miserables (Broadway Musical) and stayed at the Sandman Inn across the street
15. Vancouver: Miss Saigon (Musical) and Executive Hotel Vancouver
16. Vancouver: Showboat– (Musical) and Empire Landmark Hotel (Robson St. Vancouver)
17. Vancouver: Phantom of the Opera and dinner at Bridges Restaurant (one of our favorites)
18. Tortola, BVI: British Virgin Island bareboat sailing: 40′ Sailboat with 3 other couples (one of my best vacations ever)
19. Copenhagen, Denmark: Grand Palace Hotel, Tivoli Gardens and our most expensive dinner. I took Anna to Denmark to some meetings I was leading at and we celebrated our anniversary after.
20. Whistler, B.C.: Condo & snowmobiling trip
21. San Jose del Cabo, Mexico: Family vacation at my brother’s condo.
22. Vancouver: Marriot Pinnacle Hotel and dinner at Kobe’s Restaurant (a favorite)
23. North Vancouver: ThistleDown House Bed and Breakfast (great place)
24. Canmore, AB: Dinner at Murrieta’s Restaurant, Bed & Breakfast & Dog Sledding Tour of Spray Lakes (great experience)
25. Puerto Rico: 10 Day Celebrity Cruise: Southern Caribbean cruise to Aruba: 5 star
26. Banff, AB: Castle Mountain Hostel in Banff National Park: cross country skiing with friends and then one night at the Rimrock Hotel, in the town of Banff
27. Phuket, Thailand: Outrigger Serenity Resort (5*) – elephant ride (Top 10 Vacation) I did a month of church music consulting in Singapore and then we went to Thailand for a few days.
28. Banff, AB: Keg Restaurant & Rimrock Hotel
29. Calgary, AB: Wellingtons Restaurant (great steak) & trip to Centralia, WA for our grandson Ezra’s birth & out daughter-in-law Sonia’s wedding shower
30. Haiti: One week mission with Hait Arise, and a 7 day Carnival cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Key West, the Caymen Islands and Jamaica.
31. Miami, Florida: Two-7 day Carnival Cruises (Western & Eastern Caribbean): Miami, Cozumel, Belize, Honduras, Half Moon Cay, St. Thomas, Grand Turk, San Juan (another ‘Top 10’ vacation) ~ Anna won free flights to anywhere Westjet flies.
32. Bragg Creek, AB: Chops Steakhouse, Calgary and Redwood Meadows B&B
Question: What has been your best anniversary? What unique ways have you found to celebrate your marriage?
