Taking Time To Be: My Search for Margin {Part 4}

For all my earlier reflections on finding margin, go here.

This past weekend marked eleven years of marriage for my recovering husband and I.  Last year for our tenth, we had a new baby and an overnight at a fancy (and local) bed&breakfast.  I spent a week reflecting on how quickly ten years had passed and how different real marriage is from the expectations we have that day at the alter.

This year, so far, there’s been nothing.  No sweet post from me.  No big surprise gift from him.  In fact, we’ve barely had a moment alone to reflect on the past eleven years.  What we’ve had instead was a day of gardening and preserving, a recurring bout of the stomach bug, and too much busyness for one summer.

Which is why, even though our motivation for our upcoming getaway was to celebrate our anniversary, at this moment, my only motivation is just to have some time away.

Away from the laundry room that smells like wet beach towels and old sunscreen.

Away from the dishes that are crusty with ketchup and sticky with Lucky Charms.

Away from the sagging couch with its nail polish stains and flattened cushions.

Away from the bedroom with its piles of to-do and boxes of old we can’t let go of.

Away from the bathroom that needs a new shower curtain and a better system for hair ties.

Away from the never-ending list of responsibilities and the constant connection to everyone.

Away from the four most precious gifts so we can remember that loving each other first helps us love them best later.

I only hope the house doesn’t cave in from all I will probably leave undone in the interest of getting my priorities in order.

But marriage trumps laundry.  Every time.

How’s the margin in your marriage?  Are you like me and could desperately use some time to reconnect?

Linking up with these lovely ladies.  Check it out.