Sunday, July 31, 2011

Can you feel the love?

Kate is home from camp. I got a phone call yesterday at 11:30 am asking when I was going to pick her up to which I responded, "oh, I'll be there around 9ish tomorrow morning, right before Mass. Is that okay?" Whoever I was speaking to kindly pointed out that, "um, well, camp actually is over today and the girls were meant to be picked up on Saturday morning, not Sunday, but it's okay, get here when you can."

The one minute it took to grab Maggie, get her dressed and throw her into the van was quite exciting. I never knew how many lively words spouses could fit into sixty seconds when they are each desperately trying to shove off the blame on the other for being the irresponsible parent who overlooked the camp pick up time and day. It was fun. He he, ho ho, ha ha, oh marriage is just always so sweet and lovely.

A few weeks ago we were sitting in church and a couple was called up to the alter for a renewal of their vows. They had been married for fifty years and Father Blase pointed out how happy and in love they still were and I thought to myself, this really isn't inspirational. What we need is two people who at times don't like each other much, yet in spite of it, they stick it out. So I raised my hand and asked if Greg and I could come up there instead.

Relax. I kid. I kid because it's fun and also because it happens to be a little true. Greg and I love each other, but honestly, after eighteen years of marriage we don't always approach one another with grace and kindness, especially in moments of stress and confusion. Some people blow sunshine up your behind and tell you they never get upset with their spouse, to which I can only respond that if marriage was always easy there would be no need to counter every positive marital vow with a negative one. It's a nice little reminder when you're standing on the altar completely in love that you aren't always going to feel this happy, things aren't always going to be this good.

If nothing else, the sometimes irritating aspects of marriage do provide me with quick blog fodder and thank goodness, because honestly I think I have officially run out of things to write about. So thank you Greg, thank you for being such a jerk yesterday. If not for you, I would have had nothing to write about today.

6 comments:

Steph C. said...

HeeHee. I TOTALLY feel your pain on the pick up time. Once I accidentally left Lauren at the Y for like TWO HOURS thinking Jeff was getting her. We had a blow up at the house and I stormed off to go prove myself at Walmart. By the time I realized and reached her I was a wreck. She was fine. I cried for two days. True story. Welcome home, Kate!

ann marie said...

Yeah, I cried for most of the way to pick her up, both because I felt awful for her and I felt like such an idiot for the mix up. And when I got there she was one hundred percent fine and said "oh, no big deal mom. I could see how you got confused." :) So cute.

oneblessedmamma said...

HAHAHAHAAAA. SOOOO true about marriage. I think Julie and Mike are a rare exception to the rule, but you and I have the same kind of marriage for sure :-).

Anonymous said...

marriage...humbling...
like a gazelle...

Terri said...

I'm responding late to say that I love the sunshine-up-your-butt comment, but mostly I'm here to ask: who left that anonymous comment?

ann marie said...

Only I know :) ( about the anon. comment)