We still try to date the hell out of each other, and sometimes it works out really nicely

This past Friday night, Steve and I had the opportunity to go on a date. We initially contemplated running some errands around town, having dinner, getting a redbox movie and coming home in time to watch that and be in bed before 10. (I know, we are wild and crazy party animals.) But, I am always itching to cross something off a list, so I set about trying to knock something off of our 101 in 1,001 list.

I found a comedy club in Nashville that only looked 37% sketchy, so I figured, what the heck. I booked our tickets and then racked Aggie's brain for an appropriate place to have dinner since she is braver than brave and ventures to Nashville all the time (WITH KIDS) and does things while there like go to the zoo and go shopping and eat meals at restaurants (WITH KIDS). You might never guess this about me, but eating with kids at places that do not involve a glassed-in playplace (a la Chick-fil-A) really freaks me the freak out. Also, the most I usually ever do in Nashville with kids is pick up people from the airport. There is nothing in that town worth missing a naptime over. Amen? Amen.

We headed off to Pie In The Sky and ate plenty of carbs before we raced downtown to catch the 7:30 show. There was a two item purchase minimum per person, so we figured we would each get drinks there. There was some sort of miscommunication due to loud music and us being new and weird, and the waitress came back with 6 beers. Hmm. Since Steve was driving, I took it upon myself to consume the majority of the beer. (I inherited a piece of the martyr gene from my mother.) Let's just say that Mama ain't in college anymore. I didn't toss my cookies, but I came pretty close as we were merging onto the interstate. (Talk to me Steve, but don't mention food or drinks or bathrooms or puking. Let's just hurry up and talk about something. Anything. Hurry.) The comedians were good and we really had a great time. It wasn't a typical date night for us and that was what made it so fun.

Photo credit goes to Sarah and the iPhone

Many many thanks to Sarah and family for hanging out with the kids while we pretended to be childless and carefree. ("Pretended" being the operative word there. We seriously don't have any baby wipes in this car? Dangit, no diaper bag either. What is it, midnight? Oh, only 9:30? Wow, I'm tired.) Yes, we are officially lame. And sleepy. (#37- donezo)

One day I'm going to write a post in paragraph form. But not today.

Well friends, my sanity battery is almost back up to 50% now, I am fairly confident that I am not living in a dream, and life is kinda sorta amazing. Let's kick off this random, monster of a post bullet-style, shall we?

• Molly is starting to walk. Not to the park or anything, but she can take 4-5 steps and then throw herself down on the floor. Or my head. Or my shins. Or whatever happens to be closest and looks as if it could cause the most pain. (Crawling is still her preferred form of movement, and being carried or pushed in a chariot stroller outranks everything. Obviously.)
• Both kids love (L-O-V-E) having Steve home. He is now the go-to parent in our house and by golly, I wouldn't have it any other way. He has changed so many of Sam's raunchy diapers, bathed both kids every night, wiped an ungodly amount of snot with his own shirt, and dealt with the whining. He's a good man. Good father. Good husband. I'm a lucky lady and I know it.

 

Video of Sam coming downstairs to see Steve for the first time:

• I went out on a girls' night recently (oh the perks of having my own personal live-in babysitter!) with Aggie and Michelle (start that blog, girl). It. was. AWESOME. We got pedicures, ate yummy sushi, and laughed so hard that we actually cried. I even learned how to use CHOPSTICKS. That evening was an all-around, raging success.

 

• Update: I now prefer champagne over wine. (It's a shame that I literally have champagne taste on a beer budget. First world problems.)
• I've been running a few times with Steve and have kept up (#90). It was not as easy as I had outlined in my head, but it's still fun to do with him, even though I know he could run circles around me. He helps encourage me by keeping my turtle pace. We're trying to find a fun 5k to run before we move. The only trouble is that there are no fun 5k's around here and it's also eleventy billion degrees with a side of 6,000% humidity. I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned my hatred for heat, but oh. Wait. I have. There's a whole label on the sidebar about it. Nevermind.
• I flashed everyone at Chipotle on Mother's Day when I made the unfortunate decision to wear a cute (but flowy) sundress on a very windy day. Fortunately for those dining outside, I was wearing a thong provided some much needed portion control by causing an immediate loss of appetite. (Sadly, this is not the first time I've unknowingly exposed my derriere. Something about those spring dresses.) My apologies to Chipotle and the burritos that were wasted on my account.
• I went and got a physical done the other day (#53). I needed it to do a screening for Korea. I've only ever really been to an OB/GYN for medical care in recent years so I wasn't totally sure what to expect. But apparently I am the picture of health. Heh. 

Male doctor: "Everything looks great! Your numbers are really good and you don't have any health issues. I mean, if you wanted to lose 2lbs, that would be fine, but if you go by this chart, then I'm overweight too!" *nervous laugh*

Point taken, dude.

I lost about 20lbs in the last three months before Steve got home (and still have ~15lbs more to go), so I'm fully aware that I need to continue making healthy choices and running (even if it is hotter than sin outside). Also, I feel like God and the world should know that they weighed me right after breakfast and I wasn't given a chance to put my keys down. I was also fully clothed since stripping down in the hallway of the doctor's office is frowned upon apparently. So I'm sure what he meant to say was, "You're amazing and perfect and your body is hella awesome." Something to that effect.

• We have hit up all sorts of new parks now that Steve's home. We even took a little Chick-fil-A picnic to a new (to us) park. (#46) I might have said this before, but it's worth repeating- Having help in the form of another adult who's willing to wipe snot with the clothes he's wearing, wrangle children, and push them on the swings for 40 minutes straight is SO FREAKING AWESOME. 

 

• We applied for our government-issued passports today. Something about doing that suddenly made moving to Asia feel very real and it might have scared me a bit. Do I really have to leave all of my friends here?
• Thank you thank you THANK YOU for all of the awesome comments on my last post. We have been loving life and have had no sort of reintegration issues. Hell, Steve never even took a nap. (I had to. I'm weak and sleepy sometimes.) Now I'm back in the routine of coming upon a mound of clothes and wondering out loud who the flip wears all of these things?! Then I remember that this is happy laundry and I would have killed to wash some PT's during the deployment. Shut up and wash, Jenn. Shut up and wash.

That night I smiled so hard, my cheeks went numb

Eight months ago, he left.

I cried.

A lot.

In between his going and his coming, the kids and I ate a lot of hot dogs.

We read a bunch of stories.

I gave many baths.

Changed countless diapers.

Buckled and unbuckled car seats, shuttled children to preschool, church, commissary, playdates, doctor visits, more playdates, and a few road trips.

I talked about Daddy and how he would be home soon. How much he wants to play ball and sing songs and do bathtime and read stories with us. How much love he has for us that he would go to such a faraway place to protect us.

We said prayers for Daddy. And we said prayers for us.

In between all of that, there were many hard days, lonely nights, timeouts, tantrums, breakdowns, and expired-beer-drinking.

And somehow, this night that seemed like it would never happen, finally did.

I can honestly say that May 8 was the best day of my entire life.

And every minute he was gone, he was missed.

But he is always worth waiting for.

Thanks for all the prayers and support and wine and high-fives, y'all.
Now if you'll excuse me please, I have a complete family to enjoy.