7 years...

People always said, "Once you have kids you won't remember what you did with yourselves before kids." For a long time after Charley was born I would sit there and think really, really hard about what I did with my summers off from teaching, our weekends, and our evenings. What in the world did I fill my grocery cart with and did I ever go to Target?

Almost 7 years ago Ed and I chose to get married. It was just us - and ALL of our FABULOUS friends and family who celebrated all day and into the night (July 20, 2002)...yes our wedding reception ended at 1 am! On this day we had many hopes and dreams. We had a plan for children....someday. But we knew we wanted time for each other first. We had that time..but we don't remember much.

So, Ed and I thought about going somewhere to celebrate 7 years of ups and downs and all arounds. Crazy, Cozy, Calm, and Content. We brainstormed Vegas....one of our favorites....and other quaint or touristy areas around the mid west. But we finally realized that what we wanted was, "Life before kids...for two days." And what better place than good old Edina. This was an area nearby our first apartment. It is still a place where we prefer to go to movies and eat out. They have a new hotel, The Westin, situated within walking distance of some of our favorite restaurants and the movie theater. At first we thought it was silly to stay so close to home, to not explore unique new restaurants or challenge ourselves with a crazy white water rafting trip. But we decided that to totally relax meant, familiar. To go to Edina meant we wouldn't waste an entire Friday kid-less evening cramped in the car. So we made a reservation and anticipated a weekend "Of what we did before kids". Even though we know we will still mostly think and talk about the boys.

Before kids...

We believe we dropped what we were doing and went to movies (without having to pay for a babysitter).

We believe if we didn't feel like cooking we went out to eat and ordered a glass of wine (not a kiddie meal).

We believe we slept in, read quietly, went for a walk, or sat at a bar and talked about where life would take us in 7 years.

So this weekend - we get that. Thank you Grandma Charlie for loving up our boys so we can have this time to remind ourselves that the decision we made 7 years ago was absolutely the best decision. And that in 18 years when our little guys grow their wings and fly away from our nest...we will be okay. We will remember time with just us...and look forward to it.

Happy Friday everyone!