A Real Date Night

A couple of days ago I shared about how Hubby and I sometimes sneak into our basement after we put the boys to bed and have what we call Karaoke Date Night. We don’t really sneak; it just makes it sound more interesting.

Well, last night we had a real date.

Our church had some actitivties going on last night for the kids where parents could drop them off and pick them up later. So we did! And we went out on a date! Hubby took to me a quaint, little Italian restuarant in our neighborhood that we had not tried before and we sat at a quiet table for two in the corner. I had some fantastic salmon with penne in a light cream sauce. Oh, I almost forgot the kalimari appetizer – probably the best I’ve ever had. Then we went to Starbucks, where we each had a Grande White Chocolate Mocha and shared an espresso brownie for dessert.

The best part was being able to “date” my husband again, and in his words, “remind ourselves why we ever started dating in the first place.” We talked and not just about the boys. We actually talked about grown-up things. We talked about ourselves and our plans and goals for the future. We talked about what life will be like when the boys are all grown and have moved away.

We are finally in a place where we have reconnected with each other. I don’t just see him as the father of my children or the man who goes to work everyday to provide for us – he does those things and he does them very well -but I see him once again as the man I fell in love with. The man who makes my heart race a little faster when he calls me on the phone and the man that I, after almost 18 years of marriage and few rough spots, am convinced that I want to spend the rest of my life with.

We are by no means through parenting and we have a whole new set of challenges ahead of us with the teenage years, but it’s nice to know that we can go out and not feel guilty about it. It’s nice to know that we can enjoy some good Italian food, good conversation and a Starbucks coffee. And at the end of the evening it’s nice to know that he stills wants to spend time with me – just me. That I’m the girl he wants to date.

And that still makes my heart race a little faster.