Let me just say that Jesse and I have excellent timing. Case in point: When is a great time to argue about money? How about in the car, on the way to a marriage retreat in Myrtle Beach, on Valentine’s weekend? Seemed ideal to us, and so we fussed and griped and pouted and sulked our way out of Wilmington and right into the conference. Fortunately, our friends were there to distract us and give us some time to cool off. And then, I suppose our timing isn’t so bad after all—we had two days of nearly nonstop instruction and “homework” to make us think about our marriage and all the things that work well about it. By Saturday morning, things were suitably smoothed over and we were on our way back to grinny again.
However, as I was going to sleep on Friday night, I realized to my great horror that I had neglected to pack my makeup. Now, for some of my friends who have abundant natural beauty, this would not be a panic-inducing realization. Moi? I had nightmares (literally—dreamed all night about makeup) and resolved not to go to the Saturday sessions at all unless makeup could be procured. Yes, that is the extent of my vanity. I’d rather leave home without underwear, or clean socks, or even a hair dryer (okay, the hair dryer would be upsetting too).
This is how you know you have a true friend. You call her at 6:30 on a Saturday morning at a marriage retreat (which she’s also attending with her hubby) to tell her you’ve left your makeup at home, and the first thing out of her mouth is, “Do you want to use mine?” and the second thing she says is, “I’m packing it up right now for you.” Kara Shaw, I swear, is an angel. I promised her one of my kidneys, should she ever find herself in need. (And what’s even better is she does Mary Kay, so she has really awesome makeup.)
Sunday, I decided to put forth serious effort into the whole “day of rest” concept. I didn’t check my email once. I stayed in bed after I woke up, then I got out of bed to read and then fall asleep again. Jesse surprised me with a scavenger hunt with rhyming clues that led me to Jelly Belly jellybeans (my favorite), a dozen long-stemmed roses, and a sweet card. Fight? What fight? He’s the best.
Today was spent on errands and laundry and a Jamie Oliver recipe (my favorite) for dinner. Oh, and did you know? It snowed here Friday night. When we were in Myrtle Beach. Gah! The good news? It also snowed in Myrtle Beach. What a sight—to stand on a hotel balcony and look at the ocean, waves pounding a beach covered in a blanket of the purest snow. We couldn’t stay mad.
8 Comments
How strange… I forgot my foundation and blush on that retreat! Next time I’ll know who to call… Kara!
I’m glad you were able to put the fight aside. It’s a snow day miracle! (And, perhaps, the encouraging marriage talks. Perhaps.)
Love this post! What a great writer! xo
Anytime!!!
Kir–yes, Kara is definitely the one to call in a makeup emergency! I recently heard about a study that showed simple checklists before surgeries saved a bunch of lives in several hospitals. You’d think surgeons, with all their brilliance and education, wouldn’t need something so simple, but apparently not. Well, if surgeons need checklists, then why do I think I can get away without them? Ha!
Chris–thanks!
1) I seriously, seriously doubt that you know any women who have this “abundant natural beauty” you speak of!
2) Call me naive. I find it sort of humorous, trying to imagine you and Jesse arguing about money. It’s not that I assume that happily married people don’t have disagreements; I just wonder what two people who have grown up together and been educated together and so on and so forth have to argue about.
3) Think about it like this, a surgeon is more likely to think of the molecular structure of the steel a scalpel’s made from than she is about actually having a scalpel on hand. Of course, that isn’t actually true, but it’s an okay metaphor for the microscopic level on which they’re generally operating. Although it’s all done for the big picture (like an individual person’s quality of living), they tend to lose sight of it. There’re primary care physicians and nurses and such to soothe the patients’ interests in their own macroscopic well-being.
Look who’s talking! YOU are one of the natural beauties I know, silly! Without makeup, you’d still be prettier that about ninety-plus percent of the population.
It is rather hilarious how much Jesse and I can find to fight about, and fight about quite epically even! We have so much in common, have spent the last ten years of our lives together, and have been married for almost six of those ten. You’d think that by now we wouldn’t be so tripped up by something as stupid as money. Ha!
Jesse’s scavenger hunt is the cutest thing ever. I love scavenger hunts (or really, the idea of them, since I don’t ever actually have them).
He’s adorable with the scavenger hunts–and he actually made up little rhymes to go with each clue. Very clever. I could never make a good scavenger hunt, myself. I think it’s a talent you’re either born with, or not. I hope you get a scavenger hunt someday! I’d throw you one, but see previous statement about talent. (That and we live in different states. Sad.)