Who knew we still liked each other?

So, after Thomas' soccer game on Saturday, Shane’s mom Vonnay took our kids for the afternoon. With the children gone, Shane and I kind of wandered around the house for a few hours; I dyed my hair, Shane watched tv shows that I don’t let him watch when the kids are around. Then we thought we would run some errands. After wandering aimlessly around Lowe’s, Kohl’s, and Best Buy we discovered that we now SUCK at entertaining ourselves, and so we decided there was nothing more to do then go and get the boys. They weren’t any happier to see us than I had expected, but they grudgingly agreed to come home with us. The freshly purchased McDonald’s Happy Meals may have helped sway their decision in our favor.

A mere 1.5 hours later, Vonnay called us back and wanted to have our kids over again for a few hours. I can’t believe I almost didn’t let them go, but Shane saw reason and sent them on their way. It’s kind of sad to say that this was only the second time in six years that we have been at home alone together in the evening. The last time, Thomas wasn’t even a year old, and we kind of fudged that one by pretending to go and eat but really we just dropped him off at Grandma’s and then went home.

I have to say that the evening far outstripped the afternoon. We went to Walmart and bought some ice cream, and instead of chasing two-year olds down random aisles or telling the 6-year old that he can’t have the green apple spray candy, we held hands and flirted with each other in the check-out line. We went home and watched a movie, not worrying how loud the volume was or whether a child would wake up and interrupt us. I kept saying, “This is so nice!” and I think that Shane heartily agreed.

Before our movie ended, we heard little voices calling “We’re home!” Later, as I tucked them in, Thomas put his arms tightly around my neck and said how much he missed me, and I told him I’d missed him as well. And yet, I was so grateful for that little break. We aren’t really ever without our kids. Thomas has spent the night away from us twice: once when we ran our marathon in 2004, and once this past summer when he slept at a friend’s house (and even then, it was only across the street!). I’ve never had my mom or Shane’s mom keep them for the weekend, or even overnight. All of our dates (with the exception of the time we pretended!) are the go-out-to-eat-and-pick-up-the-kids-two-hours-later variety. Just sitting at home without any little ones has never really happened to us. I love them very much, but for those few hours, I felt like the person I was before I had kids and just had a husband to hang out with. It made me really happy that Shane and I can still have fun together, and like each other’s company. It also makes me want to have more nights like this, when we can know our children are happy and safe and being taken care of by someone else while we get a little “recharging” time.

So here’s to ice cream and movies and Walmart and flirting in the checkout line!