Happy birthday, dear husband. I believe it’s time for you to stop telling people you’re 27.
Before bed tonight, each of my children lined up in front of Chris for his/her special handshake with Daddy. This was after (and before) they required much correction for unruly behavior but for a moment, I smiled so hard I teared up and silently thanked Chris for convincing me to have so many kids.
There was the perfect blend of late summer sun and early autumn nip in the air today. I checked things off of the to-do list and drank a Bloody Mary in the middle of the afternoon and took time to do small and slow tasks like brushing the dog. We finished the evening with a much-needed date night and I fell in love with my husband all over again, which was also much-needed (for both parties). Some days, I think everything is broken and nobody cares. Other days, I think I cannot believe I get to live this life.
Tonight, I got the Sunday scaries real bad. I have back-to-school whiplash and a sense of overwhelm with schedules and house projects and for someone who talks about how much she loves winter, the autumn nip in the air nearly sent me into a panic this evening. So I waited for Chris to come up from putting the kids to bed, dog harness in hand, and asked him to take us both on a walk. The walks always work. Chris may have tried a little too hard to make me talk it out, which he still has not learned is not the way, but we’ll get there. The walks always work.
Today we cleaned up the veggies and herbs that never fully came to be this summer, admitting aloud that up here in Alaska, we prefer growing flowers to food. We also meandered through the market and bought others’ hard work, and sat by the sea with fresh oysters, and walked to watch our children perform at the local theater, and shared gelato with our neighbors, and wondered aloud at this marvelous town in which we’ve landed.
Tonight, I read aloud from Go Set a Watchman as my husband got ready for bed. As he climbed in and nestled in next to me, I realized that getting that man interested in my favorite lit selections is toward the top of the list of romantic things that happen between us.
We had enough staff to get through the shift somewhat smoothly. I arrived home in time to eat supper with my family and accompany them on a gelato date. There was no wind on the beach, only sun and sand and peace. I might just make it after all.
