date your mate--week 3

my friend erin has started a fun challenge that i think a lot of us could use. as much as matt and i make an intentional effort to have a date once a month and have a lot of "at home" dates after the kids go to bed, for the most part other things seem more important right now. there is always someone to dress, help with their jewelry, assist in a wardrobe change, laundry to do, germ-y sheets to wash, class snacks to make, preschool parties to plan, recitals to shuffle to....the list goes on. i know every mom has this!

the thing is, despite our busyness, matt and i are happy & devoted. this makes it easy to not put as much effort into us as i might put into other things. but, in reality, matt and i deserve just as much effort, creativity and fun as i put into the girl's afternoon craft or preschool party.

that's why i've been participating in erin's Date Your Mate challenges. the challenge this week is to try to remember the little things that took place when we first got together and bring them back to life! here are some of erin's suggestions:

"Think back...Were you and your mate knocked out by a particular movie on one of your first dates? Go rent it. Was there a song that served as the soundtrack to the summer you fell in love? Play it — often. Maybe the two of you used to meet for a drink at that little bar near the bookstore? Go there again. All will remind you of those heady early days, and give you ample opportunity to note how your love has deepened since."

matt and i fell in love over e-mail. now, we just use it to quickly remind ourselves of meetings or who is supposed to be picking up who from preschool. this week, i'm going to change that. our words are so powerful and i am not using them to our advantage right now. in the busy time of life that we're in now, i can quickly use e-mail to let matt know how loved and appreciated he is. and it used to be FUN! i know it can be again.

when it warms up outside, i look forward to re-creating our favorite date. we often went to a garden and gazebo area. we'd picnic or walk or read...it was our get-away from campus. the gazebo is where matt proposed. we haven't been back in years! we're supposed to get 8 inches of snow tonight....but i know we'll love going back this spring.

what can you re-create??
click here to see erin's post on each week's challenge! this is going to fun...and rewarding!