Charlie used to run a Microtel

Every time we pass a Microtel, Charlie says, "I used to run a Microtel." It is even kind of an inside joke, because (of course) I have made fun of him for this, and I have also made it my personal mission to make sure they never pass a Microtel without hearing how Daddy used to run one.

"Do you see that girls? Yer deddy used to run a Microtel."

No, they won't miss one.

NOT ON MY WATCH.

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For the last 9 months, Charlie and I have been in survival mode. and sure there are ways in which it has been made a little more difficult than it had to be, but I guess one of the things we have in common is that we are just like that.

Anyway, in the last 9 months we have seen the "barely making it" version of each other, and we haven't always been at our best. Sometimes we turn on each other. Sometimes we are just so tired and we can't have empathy for the other one. And we have barely had a relaxing moment alone (alone together OR 'by oneself' alone) in a LONG LONG time.

Not that we haven't gone out without the kids, but we haven't gone out on a full tank of sleep or money and an empty tank of stress or worry for quite some time.

We have felt overworked, overtired, under-appreciated, under the weather, under a ton of bricks with the lack of sleep and amount of crank in this household lately. and it has just seemed that if one of these things would lighten up, everything could somehow be better enough to give us the momentum to make this work for us.

We are past Day 4 and Night 3 of taking back our lives after Baby #2 and it is starting to take root in our beings and we have been able to enjoy some moments of rest and both babies asleep at the same time. We had time to hang out last night after bedtime and also this morning before the kids got up. They are even taking their naps at the same time, and Eden is infinitely happier.

And it has been increasingly easy to talk to each other.

Like, suddenly it is less about "whose turn" or "what's fair". Suddenly we are both getting longer stints of sleep and higher hopes for our immediate future and we can see this cool chick/guy we married and we like to talk again.

And this time we aren't even drinking or trying to impress each other. I don't know, I just feel like I can see Charlie as this real (dynamic) person. I know where he comes from. I also know that I don't understand what it is like to be him, but I have an appreciation for his life like it is my favorite movie. Like I could watch it over and over again.

Do you have somebody whose stories you like to hear no matter how many times you've heard them before? I wish I still had some that my grandmother used to tell me.

Oh, I will have to tell you about my Grandmother one day...