Yesterday was kind of a beginning of a new era for us my love. We have both of the girls off at college. While that was sad, it is hard to not feel really proud of both of them and ourselves for raising two amazing young ladies. They will both be very successful, very happy and we will all remain very close as a family. So officially I am claiming that the proud part has officially taken over the sad part.
Now it is left to just you and me. It's funny but I have that shrilling sound of Monica from the TV show Friends going off in my head when she realized it was going to be just her and Chandler - "I have to live with a boy!". Well, my love, I am your boy. From my end, I couldn't be happier.
Sunday will count as the "let it go day". A day of drowning our sorrows and at the same time enjoying a baseball game and each others company. It was fun, but I knew that most of the day your mind was elsewhere. I heard rumors of you texting all day long. That is ok. I know your will need some time to adjust to your new world as well.
Yesterday was the day. A start of sorts. Just you and I together. It couldn't have been better. I was reminded that we are best friends. That we really are that close. That any time we spend together is time well spent. We did normal things all day, and frankly it was a wonderful day.
I had a really proud moment this weekend. I was on the phone with our nephew. We were talking about this empty nest concept. His direct quote was, "yeah I think a lot of couples don't know how to respond to that, but not you guys. You are really close and really happy. I'm not worried about you guys at all". Coming from a guy who isn't prone to dole out compliments, I took that as praise in the highest order. The best part is that he is completely correct. We are "that close", we are best friends and we are the most important thing to each other. It is a formula for our success. Has been for over 20 years.
We have about 2 more weeks of "change" to deal with before we move. Then things will be really different. It will e some new turmoil, new stress, new tears and lots of change. But we will be more than just "fine" through it all. We will thrive. Because we are the world's greatest love story. We are the happy ending at the end of silly chick flick. We are the old couple walking off into the sunset at the end of a classic novel. More simply - we are perfect for each other.
So now we enter the next chapter of our lives. Another chapter of the best book ever written. I can't wait to turn a new page everyday.
You're the world to me. I love you more than anything in the world.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
So Young
It seems to me that we are about to embark on a very new time in our lives. One where our day to day lives involve only each other. One where we have kids away at school and very limited time committed to them on a 24-hour basis. Sure they will be part of our every day lives. There will be thousands of phone calls, video chats, urgent messages, etc. They will always need us (mostly you) in some way every day. They will be far but near. However, you and I will always be "near".
This got me to thinking about just what a great choice we made to have them when we were young. How opposite that is of most people and how amazing the opportunity in front of us as a result of our choice. We have always said that having them young would free us up at a young age to enjoy a long life together, but I think there are other forces that made our decision so wise.
We were barely kids ourselves when we had the girls. You officially were a teenager when you first got pregnant and I was not far from acting like one. We were young, knew very little about life or parenting and seemed way out of comfort zone. But magically it worked. Magically you made us a family.
One of the biggest benefits in having the girls at a young age is that we got to grow up with them. As we learned about life so did they. As we made mistakes we got to have them close by to comfort us. As we learned what life was all about we got to make sure they knew as well. Life lessons weren't far from our memories and so when they learned life lessons we were right there with in many cases very recent memory to guide us through the situation. We don't have those "back in the day" stories to compare our children's lives to, we have current days to compare to their current days.
Lets face it, most of our marriage we have been broke. We weren't "career" oriented or workaholics. Mostly because we were at ages in live where we worked for someone else and didn't have that great of work responsibility. It meant that we could be with our kids. We gave them time. And it wasn't just regular time - it was always fun time. We were able to really play with them. Enjoy them daily. We had the added benefit of the boys to be extra playmates. We did silly things like dress up, singing, hour long baths, playing in the yard, movies, etc. Mostly not expensive things, but always very involved things. We made them laugh and in turn they made us laugh.
We also had the benefit of being young enough to participate and understand in most everything they were doing. Coaching soccer, being a team mom, coaching little league, being a room mom or whatever. But we also were able to be involved in other things that older parents wouldn't have participated in. We enjoyed music with them, we got on Facebook, we video chatted, IM'd, texted, etc. Things many older parents would have scoffed at as ridiculous - we did right along with them. We embraced most of their friends, because we were young and sort of cool (you were always cool). We taught them to interact with adults because in a way we were also "interacting with adults". We were fun - so they hung around more than other kids did with their parents. It was good to be young - had we been old we would have had other priorities.
But the most important part is that we gave them all the love we had. We gave them all of us - everything we had to give them. They were our number one priority in life because we never had a chance to have other more important priorities. Even as we aged, we knew that including them closely in our lives was the only way to do things. They taught us to be good parents. we learned on the fly. I think being young made that so much easier - we made a good choice.
So now we move on to "adulthood". I don't think you will change at all. You will very likely be that "young" grandparent (not in a Florida white trash sort of way). You will get to start all over again. Pretty nice huh? This decision of ours just keeps getting better and better.
It will be odd to have them both gone. But I am sure they will teach us a few new things about being on our own too. See we all just keep growing up together don't we?
Just a quick reminder that they are so lucky to have you (as am I) - you made this family what is is today. Thank you my love.
You're the world to me. I love you more than anything in the world.
This got me to thinking about just what a great choice we made to have them when we were young. How opposite that is of most people and how amazing the opportunity in front of us as a result of our choice. We have always said that having them young would free us up at a young age to enjoy a long life together, but I think there are other forces that made our decision so wise.
We were barely kids ourselves when we had the girls. You officially were a teenager when you first got pregnant and I was not far from acting like one. We were young, knew very little about life or parenting and seemed way out of comfort zone. But magically it worked. Magically you made us a family.
One of the biggest benefits in having the girls at a young age is that we got to grow up with them. As we learned about life so did they. As we made mistakes we got to have them close by to comfort us. As we learned what life was all about we got to make sure they knew as well. Life lessons weren't far from our memories and so when they learned life lessons we were right there with in many cases very recent memory to guide us through the situation. We don't have those "back in the day" stories to compare our children's lives to, we have current days to compare to their current days.
Lets face it, most of our marriage we have been broke. We weren't "career" oriented or workaholics. Mostly because we were at ages in live where we worked for someone else and didn't have that great of work responsibility. It meant that we could be with our kids. We gave them time. And it wasn't just regular time - it was always fun time. We were able to really play with them. Enjoy them daily. We had the added benefit of the boys to be extra playmates. We did silly things like dress up, singing, hour long baths, playing in the yard, movies, etc. Mostly not expensive things, but always very involved things. We made them laugh and in turn they made us laugh.
We also had the benefit of being young enough to participate and understand in most everything they were doing. Coaching soccer, being a team mom, coaching little league, being a room mom or whatever. But we also were able to be involved in other things that older parents wouldn't have participated in. We enjoyed music with them, we got on Facebook, we video chatted, IM'd, texted, etc. Things many older parents would have scoffed at as ridiculous - we did right along with them. We embraced most of their friends, because we were young and sort of cool (you were always cool). We taught them to interact with adults because in a way we were also "interacting with adults". We were fun - so they hung around more than other kids did with their parents. It was good to be young - had we been old we would have had other priorities.
But the most important part is that we gave them all the love we had. We gave them all of us - everything we had to give them. They were our number one priority in life because we never had a chance to have other more important priorities. Even as we aged, we knew that including them closely in our lives was the only way to do things. They taught us to be good parents. we learned on the fly. I think being young made that so much easier - we made a good choice.
So now we move on to "adulthood". I don't think you will change at all. You will very likely be that "young" grandparent (not in a Florida white trash sort of way). You will get to start all over again. Pretty nice huh? This decision of ours just keeps getting better and better.
It will be odd to have them both gone. But I am sure they will teach us a few new things about being on our own too. See we all just keep growing up together don't we?
Just a quick reminder that they are so lucky to have you (as am I) - you made this family what is is today. Thank you my love.
You're the world to me. I love you more than anything in the world.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Rain Rain Come Again
I woke up Saturday night to the storm outside. There was lightning, some thunder and a pretty strong sound of raindrops. It was 2AM. The dog woke up as well, but only because she was afraid of the rain. Me? I love the rain. Not always, but there are certain times that it just makes me feel "different".
We have certainly had our connection to the rain over the years. It always seems to provide me with nice memories (flooded basements being the lone exception). I kind of associate our relationship with the rain. Not in the storm sense, but in the romantic sense.
It would be impossible for me to forget our first memory of rain together. It was among the most intimate moments of our lives. I am not sure why we were laying on the floor and not in a bed, but I remember how close our heads were to the open window. The rain fell beautifully outside. A clasp of thunder here a flash of lightning there, all filling our romantic evening together. The sound of The Cure's Disintegration CD played in the background. It was romantic, passionate and most certainly memorable. It was as if the rain fell in rhythm with us as we kissed and touched. It remains a moment I recall often and a moment I will never forget.
The rain quickly involved the girls. Even before we had them. OD you remember me telling you about my dream of how I was playing with them in the rain? We lived in the townhouse at the time. I am not even sure that Kendall was quite born yet. I know Megan wasn't. Yet had this very vivid dream on playing with them BOTH in the rain. I regrettably don't think that ever really happened. However, the dream was so real.
I remember numerous times when we got soaked together in the rain. However, one time sticks out. I remember kissing you in the rain. It wasn't raining that hard. We were both very wet though. Your hair was very wet and looked very sexy. I am not sure why we stayed in the rina, but the kiss is very memorable to me.
I can also remember a few times in our pool when you and I swam around while raindrops fell on top of us. While that isn't very safe, it was always very cool.
So when I woke up the other night and heard the rain. It just reminded me of how much I love you. It reminded me of how I pretty much associate everything with you in some way. But rain, although a nuisance to most, is not to me. It is way to relvie some really nice memories of you. Some truly romantic moments. Some truly cute moments. Some fun moments. But mostlyu, just moments when we were together.
You're the world to me. I love you more than anything in the world.
We have certainly had our connection to the rain over the years. It always seems to provide me with nice memories (flooded basements being the lone exception). I kind of associate our relationship with the rain. Not in the storm sense, but in the romantic sense.
It would be impossible for me to forget our first memory of rain together. It was among the most intimate moments of our lives. I am not sure why we were laying on the floor and not in a bed, but I remember how close our heads were to the open window. The rain fell beautifully outside. A clasp of thunder here a flash of lightning there, all filling our romantic evening together. The sound of The Cure's Disintegration CD played in the background. It was romantic, passionate and most certainly memorable. It was as if the rain fell in rhythm with us as we kissed and touched. It remains a moment I recall often and a moment I will never forget.
The rain quickly involved the girls. Even before we had them. OD you remember me telling you about my dream of how I was playing with them in the rain? We lived in the townhouse at the time. I am not even sure that Kendall was quite born yet. I know Megan wasn't. Yet had this very vivid dream on playing with them BOTH in the rain. I regrettably don't think that ever really happened. However, the dream was so real.
I remember numerous times when we got soaked together in the rain. However, one time sticks out. I remember kissing you in the rain. It wasn't raining that hard. We were both very wet though. Your hair was very wet and looked very sexy. I am not sure why we stayed in the rina, but the kiss is very memorable to me.
I can also remember a few times in our pool when you and I swam around while raindrops fell on top of us. While that isn't very safe, it was always very cool.
So when I woke up the other night and heard the rain. It just reminded me of how much I love you. It reminded me of how I pretty much associate everything with you in some way. But rain, although a nuisance to most, is not to me. It is way to relvie some really nice memories of you. Some truly romantic moments. Some truly cute moments. Some fun moments. But mostlyu, just moments when we were together.
You're the world to me. I love you more than anything in the world.
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