A Wedding to Remember...

Last Saturday, we were invited to my cousin's wedding.  Since Lew and I both have small families, wedding invitations are rare for us.  All of our friends are married--in fact, some are already celebrating 15 and 20 year anniversaries.  (This year, Lew and I will be celebrating 10 years.)

So, needless to say, I went all out for this wedding!  I took a half day off from work and found myself a new dress, new shoes, and undergarments (since it was a backless dress).  Then, I had false eyelashes put on; my husband didn't recognize the eyelashes at first; instead, he thought I did something different with my hair!

The happy couple!

Waiting for the outside wedding ceremony (in January...BRRR!)

Dancing!

My mom and her two sisters!

Overall the night was fun.  We dropped Little Lewie off at my in-law's house, and then we left for our "date night."  It felt like old times when it was just the two of us dreaming about our future.  We laughed during the car ride, enjoyed watching the wedding ceremony, ate good food, and danced the night away.  My mom and family were at our table, so we enjoyed catching up with them too.

At the end of the night, I was a little sad.  First, I didn't know when there would be another occasion for us to go to a wedding again.  Second, a part of me yearns to get the "newness" of my own relationship back.  Dorrie and Chris were over the moon excited.  If they weren't dancing, toasting, or kissing, then they were talking about their exciting ten-day trip to Europe for their honeymoon.  (They've been sending posts via Instagram daily.)

The happy couple eating in Paris!

Of course I am excited for them, but once upon a time, this used to be us.  A lot has changed in ten years.  Long hour days at work, followed by Lewie's homework, and passing out on the couch doesn't exactly compare to whirlwind visits to London, Paris, and Rome.  I know that we all (including Chris and Dorrie) must return to a  mundane routine, but part of me still yearns for the spontaneous...the days when we could just GO and live with abandon. 

This wedding has got me thinking... I know we can't bring back our youth or change our responsibilities, but we can change our mindset.  We might not be able visit Ibiza, Spain again anytime soon, but I know there are other day, weekend, or mini trips we can take either with Lewie or without...  It's worth investigating, and it's worth brining back the spontaneity.  I want to feel ALIVE again...

If anyone has any tips on restoring the "newness" and excitement of your marriage, please share!