Date Night

Last night Mark and I went out for a date night.  I always thought that sounded so stupid when I would hear people refer to going out with their spouse as a "date."  Now that I've been married for 11 years and have 2 children, I completely get it!  When we first met, we would go eat, go to a movie, hang out at a bowling alley, etc. just to be around each other, to get to know each other.  Even after all this time, we still have to "date" to keep knowing each other!  It's amazing how 2 people can live in the same house, sleep in the same bed, eat dinner together every night, and tell each other "I love you" every day and not be connected, but that's the way life is.  Work, kids, hobbies, even exercise takes a lot of our attention away from each other week in and week out.  It's important for me to know that we are still in love and still WANT to be around each other.


So, we have date nights.  All we did was go to Outback for dinner and then went to Target to look at toy ideas for the kids' Christmas gifts.  We had each other's full attention for the first time in a long time.  We caught up on what's going on in our lives and told stories about the kids.  We laughed, we discussed our future family plans (another baby or not?), we just enjoyed being around each other.  That's what I always wanted out of marriage, being around someone I enjoy for the rest of my life.  I'm so lucky to have found that person!


Mark, you are my best friend, my encourager, my support system, my partner in raising our kids, and my personal stand-up comedian.  Thanks for hangin' with me for the past 17 years!  We've had a lot of good times, but somehow I know the best times lie ahead.  I love you!