He's the ONE.

Do you remember when you and your spouse started dating? The fuzzy feelings were filling your heart and soul with things you never knew you could feel before. The flowers were aplenty. The dates were amazingly over the top. The kissing was.....WOW! When he was grab your hand, you got these butterfly feeling in the pit of your stomach that just told you that "He's the ONE!" Yeah, those were the days, right?! 

I have been married to my husband for almost 7 years and those feelings are still there........ some where between 24 total months of being pregnant, the breast feeding extravaganza, the HUNDREDS of diapers I have changed, the spit up that became apart of my normal wardrobe and the hormonal roller coasters that made me feel crazy. Yeah, it is there but it is just different now. Not as fresh as it used to be. Bryan and I have gone through many transitions over the last 7 years and we will go through many more. Those "growing pains" aren't always easy to roll with, but we have learned to readjust and redirect. One of the recent conversations we have been having is about how differently we are now than when we first got married. The things that used to make us smile, just don't it any more.  We have new found love languages that, until recently, we hadn't taken the time to rediscover. After talking about this issue between us and the needs that we both have that may or may not be getting met, we decided to really take a few steps back and really get to know each other again. Life can be a funny thing in how you can live in the same house and lose a sense of each other and the reason why you got married in the first place. 

A few days ago my husband brought home a pretty flower. I am a simple kind of gal, and love the simplicity of a single flower. It was sweet, but it didn't really "do it" for me. It would have 5 years ago. But, now with being a stay at home mom with 2 girls, my needs have changed. Last night he brought home sugar-free York Peppermint Patties. I LOVED it! One of my favorite things to do is to take a few moments in the afternoon with a cup of hot tea and just sit and do nothing. The girls are napping and it is just a great moment for me to regroup before round 2 starts! I don't have a car to just be able to go and get something whenever I want, so having something that is a little sweet treat in my day just makes me smile. I know, it is silly, but it does! 

We all have a desire to be seen and be recognized. This job that I have is so unseen and unrecognized that I begin to really feel so alone. Don't get me wrong, I do love being a stay at home mom. It is just my current situation that makes it just a bit harder than the "normal" stay at home mom. I take pleasure in those little things like my husband bringing me home a special treat. Or him doing the dishes after dinner. Getting up early with the kids and letting me stay in bed. Those things speak to my heart and tell me that I am truly seen and appreciated. 

Tonight my husband and I are going on a date. I got to pick what we did. My husband never would have imagined that I would pick going to dinner, getting some Starbucks, then having him help me grocery shop would be my idea of a great date! But, it is. It means a lot to me. It is nice to have someone with me to grocery shop with. Talk to and laugh with. So, here's to rediscovering the person in your life that makes you laugh harder than anyone! You know the one! The one who makes your heart hurt because you love him/her SO much. Yeah, He's the ONE! STILL. 

By the way, Bryan, when you grab my hand it still gives me butterflies.