(When I posted this photo to Instagram, my darling husband commented, "Sweet! I've been looking for matches!")
About an hour before I started typing this particular post, my husband and I were hugging it out. Not because we were experiencing a particular tender moment, but because we both had been acting like buttholes all day and we had each finally had enough of it and apologized.
In our marriage, this happens a lot. One will get their undies all in a twist over something pretty trivial and stupid. (Translation: I get annoyed by dumb stuff.) Then the sniping begins, the defenses go up, and suddenly we are living right smack dab on the corner of Passive and Aggressive. It's not a fun address.
In the past, this would have derailed us for days, maybe even weeks. We would have let our kerfluffle about how he didn't grab the diaper bag out of the van again develop into a full blown fight about how he doesn't listen to me and I don't show him any respect.
But....this is not our first rodeo.
This time we were able to recognize that it was mostly just minor frustration and likely some anxiety over the upcoming business trip to China (yes, I will blog about this) on my part that had me chomping at the bit to pick a fight. I seem to do this every time, you see. Right before he starts to pack his suitcase and make sure his toiletry bag is well stocked with Immodium AD, I get all punchy and try to stir the pot.
Why?
Because it's easier to say goodbye when things are tense then when they are rosy. It hurts just a little less, I guess.
I'm fully aware that makes no sense at all, but it's a little routine I've fallen into every time he has left. Try as I might, I haven't been able to avoid it yet. But I'm working on it!
The good news is that we are the kind of couple that enjoys laughing with one another way too much to stay upset for very long any more. That's not to say that everything is always rosy, but I will say that text messages like this are definitely more the norm than the expection:
Yup, I love that man. Gotta love a guy who will stop on the way to church to pick you up some beer.
