Dates

Carving out time for dates is high on my list of maintaining a healthy relationship... whether with God, Kevin or the kids. Tuesdays are the highlight of my week. I drop Nate and Savannah off at pre-school and head to the gym to exercise... alone. Most days I just pop in a video, push back the coffee table and sweat away. Of course, I'm usually joined by both twins and Jazz (our dog) after about five minutes. "We want to exercise, too!" "Watch how high I can kick, Mommy!" "Scootch over, Mom, I need more room." I go through the various work outs with my fearless, slightly behind the music pint-sized partners as Jazz dodges in, out and between our legs. Needless to say, it is much more relaxing and productive to run on the treadmill at the gym with my earphones plugged in to the latest episode of West Wing sans the dynamic duo and their canine sidekick.
After the gym, I head over to the Loaf and Ladle for a cup of coffee and a nice long morning listening to class lectures on my I-pod, studying the Old Testament and reflecting on God and His story through the last 3000 years or so. Blessful.
Around lunchtime Kev leaves his office to join me. The lack of need for a babysitter makes Tuesday lunch the perfect "date time." A lovely chance to re-connect and debrief with my dear husband.
Nate and Savannah are still at pre-school by the time Joe and Louisa come home so I double dip and go out on a Mommy date with both of them. (I did say that Tuesdays were great, right?) Usually a place that serves sweets of some type and nice big sofas to relax in as we talk about their week, their adjustment to life here in Exeter, boys and girls they like, any problems that have cropped up. It is a sweet time. Today, we went to Friendly's and had the best time playing several rounds of Phase 10 and eating ice cream.
Tomorrow, Nate, Savannah and I will head over to explore a new playground, cruise through the dining hall for lunch and end up at storyhour at the library. Their conversation skills leave much to be desired, but we're working on it. The building blocks come slowly. Each night we have "conversation time" after we read but before I sing. Everyone has to ask a question that each of us answers. I usually try to model a good question, like, "If you could be anything in the whole world what would you be?" Savannah- a rainbow. Nate- a red fairy. They are learning but slowly. Nate's question last night was, "What's your favorite nose?" Savannah immediately responded with "Aunt Tory's." Not really what I expected, but very fun.
It's rare that I get time to spend one on one with any of my children. I grab it when I can, but most weeks I'm happy to get my dates in however I can squeeze them. It makes for less time cleaning up the house and doing laundry. The flylady doesn't even want to know what my kitchen sink looks like right now! It definitely cuts down on my time for shopping or reading romance novels. But a worthy trade in my book. And I have to say, although my mind is itching like crazy to go back to school, I love, love, love, this time with my family. I love the slow adjustment period and the carving out of space to listen, to laugh, to talk, to share.
Anyway, just thought I'd put in my two cents for dates.