The importance of finding time for us

By Jessica Coleman

Staff Writer

 

   This past weekend, I went to Galveston with my husband. The kiddo is in north Texas with my sister and her children until Saturday, and Brian and I found ourselves for once sharing a day off. I woke up Sunday morning far later than I had planned to, and was greeted with “Do you have work today?”

   I answered that, yes, I had some work to do, but I didn’t have a time frame for it for the day, so long as the story was ready by press time Monday, all was good. 

   So, Brian suggested we go to Galveston (by “suggested,” I mean he said “cool, get dressed.”). We threw on some clothes and hopped in the car.

   We had an amazing time. We went to a couple of museums, and then ate at Bubba Gump’s. Bubba Gump’s is a Forrest Gump-themed restaurant full of screen shots from the movie, little quotes on the wall, and employees that were friendly and sweet, and didn’t even laugh at me when I walked into the men’s room and didn’t notice I was in the wrong place for several seconds. We raced in go karts (I won). We played putt putt golf and talked mess to each other (I can’t remember who won, so let’s just assume it was me), and we laughed. We enjoyed each other’s company. 

   We had such a great time in fact, that we stayed a little later than planned, and I wound up writing the article in the car on my phone and emailing it to myself to put on the computer the next morning.

   The point is (I know you were wondering if I had one), in the cyclone that is parenting, working, volunteering, running an animal shelter, kickboxing, and my most recent interest, learning about rehabilitating wildlife, I forget sometimes that “wife” is an important role in my life, and “husband” in his.

   Even when we see each other in the evenings, we are primarily parents. Between kissing boo boos and feeding, bathing, and clothing our daughter, we rarely find “us time,” but when we do, it is glorious. 

   In crowds, Brian Coleman is a quiet man. I had a giant crush on him in high school, and he barely knew my name. Our life is what happens after the credits roll in one of those high school nerd movies, and I’m the nerd (I have the Star Wars tattoo to prove it!). 

    Because he is so quiet, many people might be surprised to learn that he is about the funniest man in the western hemisphere.  He’s also been my leaning post during some times when everyone else, including me, had given up on me, and we’ve both come out on the other side, stronger, better, and closer. I don’t think I spend enough energy appreciating that this is a man I fell in love with, and am still deeply, desperately in love with. We can hang out like old buddies, giggle like teenagers, and he doesn’t even make fun of me – well, not too much, anyway – when I wonder out loud things like “Do bears use the restroom when they hibernate?” (They don’t. He didn’t know so I Googled).

   See, in the hustle and bustle involved with every day life, especially parenting, it is easy to forget that we are a couple who promised at an altar to love one another till death do us part. That doesn’t mean “just live under the same roof and parent the same child,” that means actively love each other, and it’s something I plan on doing forever.