Buddies

(This picture was taken in our honeymoon bungalow in 2003)
Thanks to my dear friend Jenn Travis and I were able to have a much needed, long overdue date afternoon this weekend. It came after me sharing my heart with her about my feeling that I just don't have time for myself or my marriage anymore. She graciously, and just like a good friend does, sensed my need and insisted that Travis and I take a date afternoon. It was the best day I've had in a long time. Complete with a peaceful and delicious meal at HuHot Asian Grill, we strolled old town Fort Collins, hand in hand, flirting and kissing at random intervals the whole time. We daydreamed about our future, the things we want to do, places we want to go and the type of home we want to create for our family. We meandered in and out of our favorite stores and got all excited about the holiday season, it was just wonderful. I titled this post, "Buddies" for a reason. Throughout the afternoon, Travis kept putting his arm around me, looking at me intently and saying, "I love you buddy!" That may sound corny to some, but it means a lot to me. Travis and I have been together since junior high, and to say that he is my very best friend is an understatement. We have grown up together in a sense. But it's amazing how the demands of life, the roles we have come into as mother and father, provider and homemaker, have tried to get in the way of our friendship. We realized this weekend that we have to MAKE time to nurture ourselves and our relationship. Relationships don't maintain themselves, WE have to feed and water them. We need to be in the habit of offering date afternoons to our friends, because we ALL need them. Jenn reminded me that instead of complaining about this hard time in life with young children, I needed to do something about it! Thank you Jenn. Let's keep scratching each other's backs. We can make it through these years of self sacrifice if we will just take and make the time to fill our tanks on a regular basis. In reply to Travis's sentiment, I love you too "Buddy", and I promise to never let our buddy status die!
Sarah