here, there and everywhere.

Our plan was to bike downtown and check out the new gelateria.  We wanted to compare it to the gelato we had on our recent Italian adventure.  We geared up, I put on my helmet [Jeff is too cool for a helmet], we tuned up the bikes and we headed out.

Less than two miles into the ride I got a flat tire.  Like any bikers would do, we decided Jeff would dual-ride the bikes [like this girl] and I would run – that way we could get back quickly and have plenty of daylight to do something else active.  My sweet husband dared me to keep my helmet on as I ran.  Of course, I had to rise to this goofy challenge.

As we biked and ran home on this warm Friday night, our neighbors and passersby did double takes.  Some looked confused.  Others laughed.  One even turned her car around to drive by again.  We were a goofy-looking team —

one guy without a helmet riding two bikes next to a girl running with a helmet —

but we were a wide-smiling, belly-laughing, head-turning, blissful team.  When we made it home, still chuckling at our feat, we asked, how were we ever there just a couple days ago?

There —
there was where our schedules were so full we barely had the chance to ask
how was your day, my dear?
much less, wait for the answer before falling asleep.

There was where I forgot how much you wanted to spend time with me and there was where we forgot to reserve a date night for each other.

There was where I misunderstood you.  And you misunderstood me.

There was where we were hurt and sad and not sure what to do.

There was where we didn’t go out of our way to say something kind or to pour a cup of coffee for each other in the morning.

There was where I forgot how much you make me laugh and how great of a team we make.

But we’re not there anymore.  We’re here.  We’re smiling and laughing.  We are going out of our way to say something kind, offer a tender hug and say no to something else so that we can say yes to a date night.

I really like being here.

But the truth is, we will have more times there.  And it might be hard and we might be there longer [though I hope not].

But guess what?  Whether we think the other one is pretty rad or pretty annoying, whether we are climbing mountains or doing the dishes, whether we ride smoothly or have flat tires, we are in it together.  And at the end of a long day, whether I’ve been grumpy or delightful, distracted or present, I’m your wife.  And you’re my husband.  We are on the same goofy team.  And that’s pretty darn cool.

So here’s to the here, the there and everywhere in between.