Marking This Date

I don't even know if I should repeat this, it seems embarassing (lots of people do it!) but it just seems embarassing: March 1, 2008. According to James it's the first time in five and a half years since we went out at night without the kids; ok, we'll call it a date. Actually it was the Supply Corp 213th Birthday Dinner and the members who are attending NPS put together a very nice dinner a program.

We almost didn't go...James had been really busy this quarter with paper after paper. The Friday before the dinner (Feb. 22), James needed a breather so we went to our favorite Hawaiian BBQ place for dinner and afterwards the boys could go walk around Toys R Us. On the way there James mentioned a supply corp dinner was coming up "at the end of Feb." (That would be the following Friday!) He said I didn't have to go... How could I not go?! First thing was find a sitter for the boys; if we couldn't find one among our friends, maybe we could fly my mom up again (so last minute)! But of course the other pressing issue was what was I going to wear?! When we packed to move up here, I did not plan on anything fancier than clothes to wear to church. I just didn't think there was a need. Besides, I haven't dressed up since my brother's wedding (and that includes pantyhose) .

James didn't have to worry, he'd just wear his uniform and instead of a regular black tie, a bow tie. For the next four days I was in a panic shopping mode, exausting all stores in the area! While I was shopping the thought even came to my mind that it's been so long since I shopped for anything that wasn't wash-wear-friendly, that I wasn't even sure of what to look for. Thankfully I watch "What Not to Wear" on TLC, so I remembered some tips. Thankfully I was able to find a classic-looking black dress at Ann Taylor Loft; it was a final sale item, so even if I changed my mind, I couldn't return it. Well, now I have a little black dress in my closet.



And we got our sitters; a couple who is practically still newlyweds. On our way to the dinner, I joked that I hoped an evening with the boys wouldn't frighten them off from having kids...someone else joked that it might go the other way, the wife might just want to start a family sooner. We didn't ask...

It was nice night out just the two of us, but I don't see myself making a habit of it -- like they say in magazine and Internet articles. I like my full-time family time. Besides, being in the military makes our lives topsy-turvy anyways, so full-time family time is very important to me. Sure, I like the occasional time to myself to shop or get a haircut and let the boys have their bonding time with James, but they are only young for a short time.