A Full Tank!

Happy May Day!!

And Happy Anniversary to my very amazing husband!  Today marks SEVEN years, & over the weekend we had the opportunity to get away & spend some much needed time with each other & celebrate our marriage!

Balancing marriage & parenthood can get a little tricky from time to time {at least it does for us, anyways}.   Sometimes we pour so much of ourselves into our little boy & making sure that his life & childhood are picture perfect, that our marriage creeps slowly into the back seat.  Our conversations revolve around Jett--what he's doing, what he needs, how incredibly adorable he is.  We talk about the many things we need to get done around the house & make to do lists. We line out our calendar of events & plan for summer vacations.  We lay out budgets & finances & discuss future goals & aspirations.  And somewhere along the line, in the midst of this thing called "life" & the juggling act that it is, our love tank starts to run dry & the gage starts to teeter on empty. We get too busy to let loose & laugh with one another. We give quick kisses hello & goodnight & don't take the time to hold hands or  snuggle before falling asleep.  Our days become monotonous & we find ourselves in a pattern that looks exactly like the day before.  It's not that we don't love each other, it's just that we get caught up in the busy-ness of life & all of the responsibilities that come along with it.

Sometimes, we've just got to set this busy life aside, pull over, & fill up the love tank!

After a great weekend together, celebrating our big seven year anniversary, I am happy to report that our love tank is officially full!  Oh forget that!  It's beyond full--it's pratically overflowing!

On Friday afternoon, Jared's mom came over to take care of Jett for the night {this was our first time leaving him overnight, & we were so thankful & appreciative that she came to our house so that Jett could be comfortable in his own surroundings}.  Jared had the day & evening all planned out, & I just got to simply go along with the plans!  I am so used to planning & organizing that it was such a refreshing break for him to take charge of everything!

It started with a trip downtown, where all the way there, we laughed our heads off at the silliest things!  Where we giggled & held hands & acted like we didn't have a single care in the world!  It was just the two of us, & we spent it entirely present with one another!

Our first stop of the day--the spa!  Jared had a scheduled a 60 minute couples massage for us, & it was romantic, refreshing, & relaxing--a perfect start to an amazing get away!

{self pics in my schnazzy robe, haha. the dressing room was the only place lit enough for a photo!}

Next, we made a quick {well, maybe it wasn't so quick} at Pryde's in Old Westport!  I told Jared that we shouldn't stop since it was our anniversary & I didn't want to drag him through a cooking/baking/kitchen store. But because he is the best husband in the world, he insisted & pulled into the parking lot anyways!  I had birthday money to spend & what better place than Pryde's?  I mean, seriously!  I love that store!  We sipped fresh brewed coffee, & browsed the entire store!  We didn't miss a single level, nook, or cranny!  I ended up getting a bunch of goodies for my kitchen, & I think Jared actually enjoyed himself too {either that or he was just being a great sport}!

Finally, we got to our adorable little Bed & Breakfast, Southmoreland On The Plaza!  We were greeted at the front door by the inn keeper who showed us around the pristine, yet very homey inn, & who we followed up to the very top floor to the room we would be staying in.  Our room was the Clara & Russell Stover room {all of the rooms are named after notable Kansas Citians}, & it was a quaint, cozy, perfect room, complete with an adorable little window seat!  The bathroom was huge, & showcased a pedestal sink & giant jacuzzi tub built for two!  Across the hall was our very own private rooftop deck, & with it being such a beautiful day, we laid out on the chaise lounges & watched the sun flicker through the trees & felt the blustery wind blow a warm breeze.  Talk about pure relaxation!  We were so relaxed that we had to move our dinner reservation to a later time, being there was no way I was going to pry Jared off that rooftop deck!

He eventually had to be pried moseyed off of his comfy red lounger & we went inside to get ready for dinner.  Dinner reservations were set to be at a little restaurant we have been dying to try for quite some time-- Le Fou Frog. It's a authentic french bistro that we have heard nothing but wonderful things about.  Turns out, we weren't too thrilled about the food, but found the atmosphere to be really inviting, & still managed to have a blast!  Plus, we have some awesome inside jokes that will forever take us back to our little experience at Le Fou Frog {insert smirk & a laugh out loud}!  Sorry--you just had to be there.

Once we got back to Southmoreland, we enjoyed some heavenly homemade cookies that were fresh out of the oven {don't worry, I didn't leave there without first talking the inn keeper out of that heavenly recipe}. We sat out in the solarium, savoring every crumb of our cookies, while swinging on the porch swing that hangs from the ceiling!  This time, it was me who was having to be pried out of there!  I have to say, I've got quite the soft spot for porch swings!

We finally ventured up to our room, to find that our bed had been turned down & left on our pillows were mini boxes of Russell Stover chocolates!  What a nice, sweet touch!  It didn't take us long to settle into that great big jacuzzi tub, crack open a bottle of champagne, & toast to seven years of marriage & a wonderful day spent together!

The next morning, we woke up feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, & refueled!  It had been a truly perfect getaway & celebration!

The thing I am finding out about marriage as we go along, is that it takes work.  I believe whole heartedly that a strong, beautiful marriage takes a good deal of work. And I'm not talking about the drag your feet/I'm dreading this, kind of work.  I mean the maintenance/effort/upkeep kind of work.  I'm finding out how important it is to make my marriage to my husband a priority, & not just a priority, but a high priority.  It's important to do the little things that make him feel loved & adored.  It's a necessity to slip off by ourselves every once in awhile to just get caught up in one another & let the rest of our cares melt away.  It's the simple things like a great big embrace at the end of the day, or a gentle kiss as I walk by him in the kitchen that make such a difference.  It's those things that keep the love tank full.

A full tank is what coasts you through the hard times down the road.  When the door dings happen, when the rocks fly up & chip the glass, when the tire goes flat while cruising down the road--when the knocks of life come a knockin', it's that full tank that gently reminds us that yes, it may feel like the world is falling around us, but the love we have for each other is solid, it's true, it's real, & it's sacred.

So tonight I say "Cheers"...

To my amazing husband who I am so blessed to be able to spend this life with.
To seven years of a beautiful, not perfect, but beautiful marriage.
And to a love tank that can't even hold all of the love we've got for each other!

Happy Anniversary, Jared!  Love you forever!