Ben and I traveled 13 hours in less than 36 hours this weekend. We went to a wedding cookout and spent time with our beloved friends (Hi, Re!). I love old friends. You can spend months or years away from them, and then spend one weekend with them and its like you never missed a beat!
In the whopping 36 hours we were gone this weekend, PB managed to cut one of his top teeth and crawl! Not that ole’ army crawl either. This is the real deal, big boy crawl. Seriously, we were gone for 36 hours, and he cuts a tooth and crawls. Next weekend he’ll be stealing my keys and taking my car out for a spin.
Anyway, we’re pooped. It was only the second little trip without the PB that Ben and I have taken. We stayed up way too late and pretended like we were young, cool, and hip. I always miss PB when I’m away from him, and I’m always itching to get back to him. But I think that a little trip here and there with just my Ben is a nice way to remember us.
One of the unexpected blessings of parenthood was my deepened appreciation for Ben as my husband. We spent the first early months of parenthood trying to pretend we knew what we were doing. It was fun. It was hard. It was tons of responsibility. We were thrown into a new lifestyle where our world revolved around our baby. Most days were a blur of diapers, bottles, and sleep deprivation. By the end of the day, Ben and I would crash.
A couple of weeks after PB was born, my amazing momma kept him while Ben and I went on a date. I think we planned on leaving around 6; I started getting ready around 4. I had a big night planned. A fancy restuarant, perhaps. I dressed up and even put on eyeliner. We ended up going to the mall, eating at a little fast food pizza place, and going to the movies. It was the best date I’ve ever been on. I appreciated that alone time with Ben more than I had ever done before.
So this weekend, we made the most of a long 13 hour car ride. We talked about our hopes and plans for PB. We talked about finances, about jobs, and about bills. And then we sang Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood and variations of John Denver and Beyonce until we were laughing so hard we couldn’t see to drive.
In the rush of everyday life and parenthood, it’s so easy to put my relationship with Ben on the backburner. There’s a baby to be fed, laundry to be done, and bills to be paid. I can get so caught up in being a ‘grown up’ that I forget what started this all. Ben. My very best friend. My favorite buddy. The boy I met in college and fell in love with. The boy I routinely beat in games of ‘horse’. The boy that I made another boy with.We made this little family together.
I’m learning that parenthood adds a whole new dynamic to a marriage. It adds a lot more fun, a little more chaos, and a deeper appreciation for the one who helped to start it all. So today I’m thankful for my awesome husband. I’m thankful that God led me to such an incredible man. I’m thankful for the wonderful dad that he is. And I’m thankful for the little times we get to spend together…just the two of us…to remember what this was all about in the first place…..
P.S. He still doesn’t close the drawers. Nobody is perfect.
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| Keepin’ it real….. |
What about you, dear imaginary friends? What do you do, whether you are parents or not, to keep your marriage fresh?
