Day 8: A day to remember

Today is my birthday, and I am off, celebrating in real life!

But as I considered how to celebrate here, I decided to flash back to a day that I really, really liked.

Without realizing it, we'd been waiting fourteen years for this near perfect day. The year we got married, a band that was special to us began a tradition that would intrigue us for more than a decade. A music festival at sea, with some of our favorite performers, sailing annually. The Rock Boat.

Isn't this a lovely spot for a little show?

For thirteen years of powerful lineups we would consider joining them, and each year we would decide against it and say bon voyage as the ship set sail. We were too practical for something so whimsical; we almost always had no money, or a newborn, or a nursing infant, or a house closing or a trip planned with friends before the new dates were released.

But one night last year, we pulled up the website and without too much discussion or debate, booked a non-refundable rate before we could talk ourselves out of it. It was sailing close to our anniversary, out of our hometown. We were out of excuses. The Rock Boat XIV was to be our debut into this new family of music lovers.

We had no idea what to expect, other than a bunch of Sister Hazel sets on a ship and no kids, which was plenty for us to look forward to. But also sailing with us were a whole bunch of newer bands we were looking forward to, and several other bands and artists that had been popular when we were younger - including the one who sang the song we first danced to at our wedding.  We've never seen him perform live and we were excited.

So a couple of days into what was instantly the most fun vacation we'd ever taken, we were sitting on beach chairs on a perfect Caribbean day, looking out at crystal clear water as our ship floated in the distance. Matt had spent years seeing Ken & Drew play acoustic sets in small bars in his hometown before they became Sister Hazel, so we were particularly looking forward to what was coming up: a Ken & Drew acoustic set. On the beach. On an island in the Bahamas. On our anniversary trip. That we'd waited 14 years to take.

So that would be cool enough, for the soundtrack of your beautiful day to be a couple of your favorite artists playing live on a beach. But it got better. Remember how I mentioned the wedding song guy? He was showing up on stages all over the ship, and this day on the island was no different. A few songs into Ken & Drew's set and Edwin McCain was on stage with them. They sang his most popular song with him, and that was sweet. We geeked out a little bit.

But then the three of them sang OUR song. And the geeking turned into weeping. As I wiped away the crocodile tears, I considered how - we'd hoped, but - we had no way of knowing when we chose "our song," that those lyrics would be more true on a perfect day fourteen years later than they were on our wedding day.

I could not ask for more than this time together

I could not ask for more than this time with you

Every prayer has been answered

Every dream I have's come true

And right here in this moment, is right where I'm meant to be

Here with you, here with me

And these are the moments, I thank God that I'm alive

And these are the moments, I'll remember all my life

I've got all I've waited for

And I could not ask for more

So Ken, Drew and Edwin - we really like you. Thank you for giving us an anniversary gift that we will never forget.