Happy Monday friends, and welcome to another round of The Little Things! In getting started on today’s post, I found myself going back and reading the 12 posts that have come before this one. That’s a solid year of tiny memories I otherwise would have forgotten, and I may have become just a little misty-eyed as I looked back at them all (especially the silliness of those darn Paper Eyebrows!) And as I scrolled through all of the sweet Ben-isms that make up my Little Things archives, it made me realize just how grateful I am to have them. So even if these posts don’t get a single click, I feel so lucky to have a way of keeping track of all the reasons (both large and small) that I’m thankful for my life with this guy by my side. If you’re new to these posts, check out the very first one HERE, and if you hang out on the blog often welcome back! Now, lets get reminiscing!
The Little Things: April 2016
The One Who Bears the Load
It’s apparent to anyone who’s ever shot with us that Ben is the pack mule of our little duo. Sometimes I think he secretly sprouts a third hand so that he can carry far more than any one human comfortably should be able to, and he does it all without saying a peep. As if it’s simply the way things should be. And a lot of times I just think of this as his way of seeming gentlemanly in front of our couples or of just trying to be extra helpful at work. But on a Monday in April, when we stood in the Wal-Mart lightbulb aisle after grabbing far more than our cart-skipping selves had planned, I realized I was wrong. As he rearranged his laundry detergent, and poster boards, and toilet bowl cleaner in order to grab two packs of bulbs I offered to take something from him. To ease his load. And when I questioned his response of “no thanks” he simply looked at me and said “because that’s how this goes”. And in that moment I had to stop and give myself a talking not about being a crazy lady who gets teary in light bulb aisles, because I just felt so darn lucky. Not just because I didn’t have to carry toilet bowl cleaner, but because I’m with someone who happily bears the load just so I don’t have to. Even on the days when it’s heavy.
The Dancing
If you follow along on Facebook, you know that we took a spontaneous cruise vacay in between weddings last month. (Any other mobile buffet fans out there?!) And one night, while we found ourselves walking back to our room in our fancy night clothes, we realized we hadn’t had a photo op yet so we asked someone nearby. And after our picture, as the jazzy music from decks below made it’s way up to where we stood, Ben took my hand and started dancing right there. In the middle of a hallway. Even as all of the other people were walking by and I was giggling so very loudly, partly from the pure joy of it all and partly out of sheer embarrassment. That night I am pretty sure my heart was even fuller than we were on lobster night (and considering how much we ate, that’s saying something).
The Manicure
On a day last month that was pure chaos from start to finish, there was a ten minute bubble of heart-filling solitude. Where, after me realizing that the brown shellac residue would not come off my nails before we went to a super important meeting, Ben sat at our kitchen table and painted my nails. Not because he loves it, or just because I’m terrible at it. But simply because I asked him to. And as he sat there with shaky hands, trying his best to make sure each stroke of red paint went on bubble free, I couldn’t have loved him more. Because when it comes to things I ask of him, even when they’re ridiculous, he’s there for me. My nails that day weren’t perfect, but like the man that did them, they were just perfect for me.
Hope your month was full of heart-filling moments, and if you’ve got a favorite one (big or small!) I’d love for you to share!
Love + Laughs,
Sarah
01. Introduction
05. Broken Shorts & Spaceship Boxes
09. My Nice Words
10. Crazy Voices & Old School Ankle Weights
11. Carlas & Kiddos
[…] 13. The Painting & The Dancing […]