Thanks, GiGi and Margok!!

First, let me apologize for not blogging well lately. My goal is one story/post a week, but we have been having computer troubles lately, so I haven't been able to keep up. I am currently using Aaron's work laptop, but can't add pics or anything fun, so it's hard to get some of the stories put together. Aaron and I are buying a new computer for Christmas this year as our present to each other, so that should get us back up and running soon.

For now, though, I have to say a HUGE THANK YOU!!!! to Aaron's sister Gretchen (GiGi) and brother-in-law Martin (Margok)!!!

They offered to come stay here at our house with our kids for us for a weekend and let us go away, as a thank you to us for the help we gave them back in March preparing for their wedding.

So we finally got all the scheduling to work, and this weekend was the big weekend. And...it...was...AMAZING!!!

First of all, it sounds like the kids had a ton of fun all weekend, and slept well, and generally did just fine without us for 2 nights. And G and M didn't look nearly as tired and ready for a break as I worried they might when we arrived home. They actually looked like they were just fine, though probably very much looking forward to a night's sleep without a toddler in the room:)

And as for us, we had a WONDERFUL weekend! Though we did honestly miss the kids much, it was so rejuvenating to have a weekend of just the 2 of us. It has been over 4 years since we had a full weekend to ourselves, and over 2 years since we had a full night to ourselves, so we were ready for the time together.

We didn't even go anywhere, really. We just got a room at the downtown Drury Hotel right by the St. Louis Arch, and stayed close to home. We spent a lot of time resting, reading, chatting, and just generally doing what I suppose other people our age who don't have kids are doing on weekends. We even went to a movie Saturday afternoon, just because we were free! We saw "Up In The Air", the new movie out that is partly set here in St. Louis, and we really enjoyed it. It was so great to not have to get a babysitter, and then hurry home afterwards. And then later we went on a great walk around the Arch grounds, bundled up in our coats, but loving the fresh air and the scenery.

It was such a wonderful time, but one of the things that we were struck by the most was how easy it was for us to just be together again without the kids. It's been so long that there might have been the worry that we have stopped having things to talk about, but that wasn't the case at all! We just felt exactly like ourselves, but without other people to dress/feed/care for/etc. It was surreal and nice all at the same time.

So, I'll end with recommending this for all of you out there with little ones. For people with kids who aren't yet approaching 2 yrs old yet, maybe you will have to wait a bit longer, but for the rest of us, we need to remember to take some time out and focus on the union that brought two adults together, and the created the place for children anyway. We're going to try to do it once a year or so, and hopefully you all will too! :)