romance and children
July 11, 2011 § Leave a comment
Gone are the days of lazy preparations for anticipated, romantic evenings out. Date nights are subject to chaotic preparations. Read: clean up the house so the sitter doesn’t think we are slobs and attempt to locate an outfit. The latter is usually the undoing of my last tie to sanity; feeling ridiculous wobbling in heels and an uncomfortable outfit that suddenly feels a bit like a costume.
Evenings in are no more romantic. The soundtrack to alone time a persistent knocking accompanied by questions and thoughts filtered through our bedroom door in an effort to prolong bedtime. This is, of course, assuming I am not asleep beside our daughter after snuggling her to sleep. It feels as if we are hiding from tiny hostages.
So how do you create an everyday space or time as a couple to recapture moments from the beginning of your love story?
date night
February 11, 2011 § Leave a comment
Calendars cluttered with commitments, time with my husband hinges on two little words. Date nights are no longer exaggerated gestures of courtship, but pockets of time filled with gratitude. An indulgent meal or popcorn at a movie; an opportunity to address a concern or a moment of quiet distraction weightless in frivolity are really happy excuses in disguise.
Some plans are better for pleasant accidents. En route to a movie one evening, my husband and I detoured to a nearby store to explore their selection of area rugs. Our home seemed to echo with a cacophony of noise and lacked the warmth of patchwork interruptions underfoot. The task of making a decision together transformed a simple furnishing into a tiny remembrance of a moment shared. We returned home early from our date eager to unroll our purchase and settle the space. A beautiful night, completely unintended.
Anniversaries suggest an occasion for something extraordinary, but our 10th anniversary was exceptionally average. Dressed in casual attire we settled into a booth at a restaurant bar. We toasted over featured cocktails and indulged in favorite foods with little care for the world outside our table. Afterwards we drove with no destination in mind; tired, but happy to be alone with our shared thoughts.
Once in a while, everything goes according to plan. My husband had developed an interest in tea that created an opportunity for me to acknowledge something important to him. I scheduled an evening cup of tea and reflexology treatment for two. Sitting in the sanctuary I smiled at the sound a soothing waterfall punctuated by my husband’s happy snores.
Date nights are touchstones of togetherness, but more importantly they are opportunities to gather strength and celebrate the passage of time.
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