I live for date nights with my main squeeze.
As a work at home mom, I spend my days wiping up snot, poop, pee, juice, bug guts, yogurt, spit, and anything else that has the capability of spilling. I hear my name repeated over and over and over, except it isn't my name, it's my designation: mom. It's what I am and what I do, but it is not all of me.
Sometimes I miss me. I miss being a woman who talks about grown up things and wears makeup and does spontaneous things. Date nights are the reminder that I am a woman. I know moms are women, but that's not the kind of woman I'm talking about. I'm talking about the feminine, sexy, strong, confident, smart, creative, innovative and natural woman that I am under the sweatpants. The woman who has more complexities and interests than breaking up fights between two tiny humans.
Date night is also the reminder to my husband of the woman I am. When you have young kids, it is easy to cohesively coexist while both caring for the needs of the people you created together. We love those tiny people, so we put their needs above our own desires 99% of the time. But we did not have them when we met. When we fell in love it was just the two of us. A boy and a girl who eventually became man and wife. We could talk for hours (and kiss for even longer).
Date night is a glimpse back to that time. Last night we went for dinner and flirted (I'm pretty sure our server thought we were on a first date - or cheating on our real spouses given our wedding bands). We sat on the grass listening to live music and drank the wine I stashed in my purse and then finished the night with ice cream under the stars. It was perfection.
It only takes 2 hours a week to fall hopelessly in love again and again and again.
If you haven't had a date night recently, don't wait for your spouse to plan it. Get a sitter, thow on some makeup and heels and go out literally anywhere. Drink some wine, make fun of each other and avoid talking about bills or the kids. Daydream about your future and make plans for all the things you want to do together. Just spend a couple hours falling back in love. @ Lake Harriet (Minnesota)
