These Dreams

I have dreams...lots of them. But the one most pressing is this ache, this crazy ache, to get away for a couple of weeks. It's been building for weeks, and yet the reality of it happening seems pretty...well...dreamy.

Some people don't seem to mind the dailyness of life. I actually know couples who don't celebrate their birthdays, their anniversaries. weird. Life is too short NOT to celebrate each other. Of course, there have been a few times that for one reason or another a birthday or anniversary went "UN-celebrated". Not by choice, mind you, but by necessity or calamity or whatever.

The dailyness of life is so...DAILY. Blah. Most of the time I am totally fine with my schedule, my life. But lately I have been restless. Jarrod and I have not gone away together for years! Oh my gosh, did I just really say that?? YEARS?!? yeah, when I think back to the last time we stole away even for overnight, just to get away, man I'm thinkin' 2006. Trust me, it's not because we don't care or don't think it's important. It's because life has taken over.

Last month some friends of ours returned from a two week trip to Hawaii. I was so happy for them. I truly was. They needed the break, the retreat. I'll confess: I began to get jealous. I would watch Hawaii 5-0 and think, "There they are, and I am here."

Then Valentine's Day arrived. Jarrod and I made a decision; one that most people think is a no-brainer. For us it was a need. There are times when your emotional needs far outweigh any other needs. We went out, at night(yes, we're getting old), to a wonderful restaurant called

The Cooperage. Just being alone, dressed in something other than jeans and t-shirts, slowly savoring every bite of our meal, and talking about how wonderful it is to be together, made the night so worth it. I am glad we did it. It will have to be my "trip to Italy" for now.

And someday...SOMEDAY, Jarrod and I will fly to Italy. Or Hawaii. Or the Bahamas. someday.

Today's Confession: God created me with a love for beautiful things and beautiful places. One day I will experience them.