Fall renewal

I stared at the man sitting across from me at my dining room table as he scarfed down his Subway footlong and Baked Lays barbecue chips. Focused on his appetite, Brian Williams' take on what had happened in the world that day, and his all-important incoming text messages, he didn't even realize I was staring. 

Who the hell is this guy, and what is he doing in my house?

It wasn't the first time I had asked myself this question about my husband.

We had been married nearly 5 years. One kid. One dog. One house. Two full-time jobs. 

It's safe to say that life had become one big routine. Alarm goes off at 4:30 a.m. (yeah, you read that right), I head to the gym. Get home from the gym just in time for kid to wake up around 6:30 a.m. Turn on Nick Jr. for kid. Take a shower. Get dressed. Wake up husband so he can get kid dressed while I make breakfast. Eat breakfast. Take kid to school. Go to work. Leave work. Come home to find kid and husband eating some sort of sandwich for dinner. Make myself something to eat. Clean up dinner. Play with kid. Walk dog. Pack lunches and snacks for following day. Bathe kid. Read 10 books to kid. Tell kid "Go to sleep; stay in your room" 10 times. Wash face. Brush teeth. Take Melatonin. Go into bedroom where husband is watching Sports Center in bed. Read until eyes start to get heavy (about 2 minutes). Turn light off. Talk to husband until things begin to fade (about 2 minutes). "Good night. Love you." 

And do the exact same thing the next day.

It isn't that I don't love my family. Of course I love my family, my job, my life. But, things do tend to become a bit monotonous. 

It's important to not let daily tasks take over your life. They say "stop and smell the roses" for a reason: It makes you happy. 

So, this past weekend husband and I stopped and smelled the roses. Big time. 

It was our 5-year anniversary. We left the kid and the dog with my sister for 3 days. That's right--3 days sans kid, dog, responsibilities. We drove to Glenwood Springs, Colorado, checked into our hotel, and checked out of monotonous routine for the long weekend. It was bliss.

We came, and went, as we pleased. We ate, drank, and were merry. We hiked, shopped, laughed, talked, sang, hugged, kissed, enjoyed each other's company. 

It was during one of our hikes when it hit me: Without all of the daily stress and responsibilities, we both still really like each other. It felt like the old times, well, 5-or-6-years-ago old times anyway. 

Who wouldn't re-fall in love surrounded by this incredible scenery?

Who the hell is this guy and where has he been for the past few years?

He's my husband, and he's been there the whole time. I was just too busy to notice.

Needless to say, we've decided to take an anniversary long weekend getaway every September from now on. 

Don't forget to stop and smell the roses once in a while. It's fabulous.