Monday, July 26, 2010

Mighty Summer List Number Eighteen!


Surprise my husband with a date night.

When I created my Mighty Summer List, I had no idea what, exactly, this little Number Eighteen would look like. My initial thought was that we would eat at a nice restaurant and enjoy a quiet evening out. Of course, that was before Naomi was actually born and before I experienced firsthand the effect of adding another baby to our family.

And I realized that my husband I just needed to have a little fun.

I didn't want to take a walk and talk about our feelings. I didn't want to focus on romance or make him dress up for a fancy dinner out (something I enjoy waaaay more than he). I wanted him to be comfortable and relaxed.

I wanted to focus on our friendship.

So. We went bowling.

Now. Bowling is fun for us because I'm actually kind of good at it, whereas I am not typically good at the competitive things my husband enjoys. Golf? Not so much. Disc golf? Meh. But in bowling, I'm good enough to at least keep the game interesting. My Dad and I have bowled together my entire life, and I even took Bowling in college for a health credit (it was ridiculously fun). I knew it was something where we would both be competitive, and we needed a little friendly competition.

When he came home from work, I told him to throw on some comfy clothes and get ready for a night out (without kids! without kids!). He was so excited when I told him we were going bowling--something he loves. It was perfect. We were both giddy when we walked into the bowling alley and my husband was so confident that he would win that he said, "If you beat me, which I know you WON'T, you can have a Shark steam mop!!"

Oh ladies.

Ohhhhh.

Those are fightin' words right there.

I've been drooling over a Shark steam mop for weeks now. I know, I know, it makes me sound lame, but y'all, this thing is AWESOME. And since the majority of our floors are wood and tile, ohhhh. ME WANT.

That was it. Game on.


We're ordering it today.

He even threw in a Target bag I've been pining after.

My favorite words of the evening were his lament that he was "actually trying". Love it.

We laughed about it for the rest of the evening. Honestly, the odds of me beating him were quite slim. But I did it! During the entire game, we were teasing each other, laughing, and being completely flirty. We haven't had that much FUN together in a long time. Don't get me wrong, we have fun in some way every day, but this kind of carefree fun is something we haven't experienced in a long time. It was a refreshing reminder that beneath it all--beneath the babies and the bills and the obligations of day-to-day life, this all started out because we are friends. I believe my idea of romance is changing. I've always considered romance to involve flowers and candlelight, but now I'm not so sure about that. To walk through the challenges of life together...to accept that things change and some things will never be the same (especially after having kids), and to still want to wake up next to him, to enjoy him, to relish in your commitment when sometimes that feels like it is the only thing holding you together, and then pushing through to the things greener and greater on other side...it is extraordinarily romantic. Romance fades because flowers die and candles burn out. But the sound of my husband's laughter is still ringing fresh in my ears and is fixed in my mind. I wouldn't trade this romance for anything.

So, you see, it was so much more than bowling.

It was a commitment we made five years ago playing out tangibly, showing where it all began: One boy, one girl. Living in the adventure, believing we can take on anything that comes our way.

And still believing it.

Have a lovely day!

6 comments:

  1. 174?!? i am so impressed!! i took bowling class at jbu, too, and i am lucky to break 100, ha! glad you had a great date :)

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  2. So fun! I also took the bowling class, and actually learned something from it!

    When you mentioned bowling with your dad, I wanted to go read that sweet story but remembered it's hiding somewhere. :(

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  3. Yay, congratulations!! I loved this post, after dating now for, oh so many, years I've definitely found I would much rather have someone I can have fun and laugh with!!

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  4. OMG! I've been wanting a Shark too! Maybe I need to plan a bowling date...

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  5. Hmm, bowling date for me and Russell? I could go for a Shark!! ;) Glad you guys had fun. You are right-friends first, romance follows.

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  6. My hubs and I used to bowl all the time before our baby....what a great date night! And I am just in love with my Shark...you'll love it too!!!

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