Exit 118 Arlington/Lodi

It was a long drive to Minneapolis. It always seems to get be much longer there than back. I don't know why. The outcome in Minneapolis was really good. We are ever closer to putting this all behind us for good.

We all went together. A family event in support of one another. Although at times I wasn't sure it really was that way. The drive started out a bit stressful. Traffic downtown and we were arguing with each other. One child asleep and one still not even in the car. The weather was reasonable. So I just decided to "study". Car trips for us, usually have a different tone. This one seemed to be unusually stressful.

We get to Madison and pick up the older child. She as usual provides some distraction as we catch up on her life. But the trip still seems odd. Maybe it is the stress of the looming trial the next day.

We stop for dinner. Not one of your favorite meals. Then back in the car and after 3+ hours we arrive at our hotel. It is very late. We are very tired. But there still seems a looming stress. One that seems to be silent.

The next morning we are up. We dress. We head to court. As stressed as we were things seemed to be getting better. We make some jokes, as we always do, to relieve the tension. Then the event takes place. I won't go into the details, but the outcome was in our favor.

Then breakfast and we are on our way home. Although the event is behind us a few things are not as they should be.

Then it happens. Exit 118 in WI on I-94. The exit is for Arlington/Lodi. The "thing" I had beenb. The same gentle rub I had felt so many waiting for finally happens. You reach across the car. Put your hand on the back of my neck. A gentle rub I had felt so many times before. The one thing I like most about our long car rides. That gentle rub that reminds me how in love we are.

Why is it so important? Up to that point, we hadn't so much as held hands (not effectively) the whole trip. We hadn't really even smiled at each other. The stress of the trip was very large. But the things we usually do for each other weren't happening.

But then it happened. It was like magic. It was like it was the exact moment that we both realized that everything was going to be ok. From there on in it was almost like a totally different trip. We held hands for a good portion of the Madison to Milwaukee trip. We kissed several times at the restaurant. When we got home, we had a really nice hug.

So maybe I underestimated the stress we were all under this week. Maybe I didn't realize that we both likely needed a hug (where were those oh so supportive girls of ours?). Maybe I should have listened closer when i found out you had googled how to behave in court, what to wear, etc. But once it lifted it appears we can jump right back to normal with ease.

I am so glad this is almost over. I am so glad that I have you by my side. I am so happy that I know I can count on you to be there for me. I know you always will be there. I know I will always be here for you.

The events of Exit 118 is proof of it all.

You're the world to me. I love you more than anything in the world.

The Meaning of Us

As I sit alone in my office, being very productive and looking around how you put everything together so perfectly, I feel obliged to remind you of something important. To remind you how much I know that we are meant for each other. I'll do it in some what of a poem.

Some things you can count on ALL the time
Some actions will happen just because you know they will
Some people never let you down
Some times are just what you want them to be

Often I wonder what would had happened
Often I fear what might have been
Often I think just how lucky I am
Often I remind myself that you are here with me and not somewhere else

Never do I worry about being alone
Never will I have to wake up without you
Never will I not be able to share important hings with you
Never has my life been better

Yesterday was a good day, because you were there
Today was even better, because you were there
Tomorrow will beat today, because I know it will involve you
Forever will be perfect because I know you will be there

I know that all seems like rambling. But it hit me yesterday when you walked into my office. I had worried most of the day about when I was going to have time to puts things together. It was silly of me to worry. i should have know that you would take care of me. That without even thinking, you would make things just right. There should have been no concern.

I know you feel the same way. I will always do the same for you. I'll always make sure that you have no worries. No fears. Nothing you have to handle alone.

It is the "meaning of us". That we are there fo reach other. No matter how big or small. We always have each other. We do today. We will tomorrow. We will forever.

You're the world to me. I love you more than anything in the world.

Date Time

I think New Years traditions are a bit useless. No one ever really lives up to them, most are things you should have done anyway and likely they just aren't that important. So I am not calling this a New Year's Resolution, but rather and offer to change something.

I'd like to add date time to our regular "things to do" list. I am doing so mostly in preparation for the big move down south of here, but also because there is little more that I like to do than spend my time with you alone.

So here is my plan. We arrange to make certain that we do at least FOUR of these things a month - every month. It will prepare us to get ready to move to the big city. Where we will have so much to do all the time. We certainly don't want to hit the town as rookies who have forgotten how to "go out" now do we?

So from this list....

* Get coffee or tea or whatever in the morning. Just us two, not too late in that day and we both have to go inside.

* A movie. Popcorn. A big share diet coke.

* Dinner at a "nice" place. The kind that require reservations, most likely have those white table clothes I mess up so easily and refer to their specials as something the "chef" came up with.

* Lunch (option a). You come to my office. Come in to get me, everyone sees how beautiful you are, they get jealous of me, we leave together holding hands and go grab a sit down meal. Then you come back and give them the whole show all over again.

* Lunch (option b). You come pick me up, we hit a park or sit outside and eat a quick sandwich. Maybe even drive by the lake (although this option is WAY better once we make the move - better lake, better parks).

* A museum, a play or some kind of show. We get all dressed up and hit the town. We may even add one of those fancy dinners mentioned above. Of course when we do we can't count it as 2 of the 4....fair is fair. I need my time with you.

* A night at a cool hotel. Maybe hit the hotel bar for a while, maybe walk the downtown streets of the big city hand in hand, maybe just rent an in room movie and sleep in a different bed. Who knows. We can just see where it takes us.

* Pizza on the floor in front of the fireplace (likely reserved as a winter activity).

* Resurrection of the "Tuesday Brown Nag" night. Properly rented DVD, fast food from someplace inexpensive and sitting on the floor enjoying it all. I may even require that we not use the TV remote and I am forced to crawl over to the TV to change the channel.

* Go to a bar and just hang out. Have a few drinks, shoot the shit with the bartender, have insane conversations with other drunk people and then post the whole thing on Facebook, Twitter and text. Oh the stories they will tell.

Hopefully you can add to the list. It is just a reminder of how much fun we have together. And a further reminder of how close we remain after all these years. We can have tons of fun just between us. We have always been able to do so.

I do have an ulterior motive in this plan. I get to see you all dressed up. You always look so amazing. I get to show you off to other people. I know they are always jealous of me. There is always the "after date time" fun, if you know what I mean......

So there we have it - a real plan. Our first date time is slated for next Saturday night. I will fill you in on the details soon.

You're the world to me. I love you more than anything in the world.

Accounting for Time.....

We start the new year in our 23rd calendar year together. I really wish I had something poignant to say for that, but I don't at this point.

I figured I would start the year by keeping your blog update very simple, and I mean REALLY simple.

I love you sweetie. I simply can't say it enough. I can't find time enough in the day to tell you. I can't really find words enough to express it you. But I do. Simply put I love you more than anything.

We have spent so much time together over the years. Officially we have spent 8,138 days together. More than half of your life and as of tomorrow morning - more than half of my life. We have officially become the biggest part of both of our lives. And I would not trade a single day of the past 8,138 days. Not one.

I could not have imagined that after all this time I can still have that "feeling" when I see you. I still have that urge to just touch you. I still have that desire to hold you. I still love the way you smell. I still love the sound of your voice. I still long for just a glimpse of your eyes.

So in 2011 we start yet another chapter in our lives. We should have an exciting year. So many things will change for us this year. Some new things will come our way. But no matter what we will be together. Just like most of our lives. Just the two of us. Completely in love.

So again to keep it simple - I Love You.

You're the world to me. I love you more than anything in the world.