Monday, April 7, 2008

Romance

When you've been with someone for 11 years, as BJ and I have, it's kind of interesting to look back over your relationship and look at how your definition of "romance" has changed over time. When we first started seeing each other, I thought romance was dinner and a movie, maybe some flowers... Then we got married, and romance meant doing laundry so I wouldn't have to, or rubbing my head when I had a headache. When we had children, romance evolved again. It meant holding my hand and helping me endure labor, and later, letting me sleep in.

As you grown in your relationship, romance changes again and again. As your needs and values change, so do the things that your partner can do to show you that you are loved.

Today, however, we reached a new low. I was out in the yard with Mary Grace, while Claire was napping. BJ had mentioned picking up the yard at lunch time, and that he'd have to start doing it more regularly now that the kids were going to be playing out there again. I thought, "Poor BJ. I know how much he hates doing that!"

After he went back to work, I got a box and a garbage bag, a shovel and a piece of scrap wood, and I picked up every last pile of dog crap in that yard - an entire winter's worth. Now, that, my friends, is true love. That's romance, 11 years in. I can hardly imagine what will pass for romance when we reach our 25th wedding anniversary!!

1 comment:

Barbara said...

We just did that this weekend too. I let William have the honors since I had been the one to do it the last few times. Our yard was actually starting to smell because it was getting warmer out. Our poor neighbors. Ugh.