Like a Good Bottle of Wine....

I've made that comparison so many times over the last eight weeks in our lives....just like a good bottle of wine, our marriage, our family, and our lives continue to get better with time. Don't get me wrong, we already had a great life, but with Carly's arrival our lives now somehow seem even more fulfilled. I do enjoy the occasional glass of wine, usually white though. I would much prefer a fruity "girlie" drink to slurp down, but wine (and lots of whining) are all we usually have around here. A week or so ago, we has friends over for dinner with their kids. We all watched a movie, ordered pizzas, lit a fire in the pit in the backyard and made smores. I asked Ryan to open a bottle of wine up. It was red wine and I was certain that it would take me forever to drink the cup. To my surprise, it was so good. After commenting to Ryan how much I liked that particular bottle, he said, "Of course you do, it's an expensive one!" Not thinking anything of it at the time, but realizing later that the bottle was 10 or more years old, just like our marriage. I enjoy being married so much. Just as I enjoyed that glass of wine, along with another (ha!) that night. :-)

I have always loved being married, but something different has happened in our marriage recently, or over the last few years. We have become partners. I love being a wife, mother, friend, teacher, sister, and daughter. I love my children so, so, so much. But I am IN love with my husband. I think it is important to remember that in our busy lives. The kids consume so much of our time and energy. By the time our husbands get a moment or two with us, we are tired, cranky, irritable, and just plain done. They need our attention too. Don't get me wrong, I still act tired and very irritable on a daily basis. But I am trying to cut the time down that these "bouts" with crankiness last. I want my children to know how much I love their father and that our love is the foundation for this family. If I just tell Ryan that I am feeling cranky, it is SO much better than when I just snap at him or in general. He doesn't exactly embrace my, "Honey, I am just really grumpy right now," but he does appreciate the heads up.

I feel so content with life. Just like I did when I sipped that delicious red wine (Robert Mondavi Private Selections). Just like that bottle, life just keeps getting better all the time!