Growing Old Together

This month we celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary. 27 years? How is that possible?! As the man of the house is fond of saying lately "we're not old, we've just been young together for a long time now."

Yup, we are definitely in the Wonder Years. "I wonder how we got this old so fast", and "I wonder where I put the keys". We've got twinges in our hinges and waning energy. I'd like to think I've lived long enough to acquire a heart of gold (which would explain the recent weight gain). What I haven't lived long enough to figure out yet is why men complain that women are so hard to figure out but all the hormonal issues females deal with start with men (MENstral, MENopause, MENtal...) hmmm. And I've heard that the grandkids are God's reward for surviving parenting, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the real reason we have grandkids is to help us old folks figure out how to operate bewildering modern technology. I mean, even my 10 month old grandbaby knows how to swipe between apps on a smartphone and take selfies! But in spite of all the "joys" of growing older, there isn't anyone I'd rather grow old with.

  
With how society increasingly views marriage as an antiquated institution, staying together for the long haul is something worth celebrating.

For our anniversary get-away this year we had a hankering to revisit the area where we met and fell in love, but that wasn't fitting into the schedule all neat and tidy. Somehow I stumbled upon the fact that west of us are some sandstone bluffs comparable to those we hiked in our youth- the next best thing. We booked a hotel in the area and kept our fingers crossed it wouldn't be too cold to hike on our anniversary. (It does snow about 50% of the time on our anniversary.)

Well, lets just say clever camera angles and exaggerated advertising about 'luxury resort' resulted in a disappointment for us. The price was ridiculous for what it was. The reviews that mentioned the hotel needs updated were being kind. The lobby was beautiful (but one doesn't stay in the lobby), and the landscaping is probably lovely in the summer (it is not summer now), but the rooms... the sofa arms were so filthy we didn't get near enough to touch the sofa and it made one wonder about the possibility of bacteria lurking in the mattress. Seriously, they do manufacture something called upholstery cleaner... or slipcovers...    Definitely a romance strike-out this year! Alas, an important part of marriage is being able to laugh together at one's mistakes.

view from the room balcony... lots of potential, but needs some serious upgrades

However, the next morning the sun came out and the sharp wind settled down. So my long-suffering husband indulged my sense of adventure yet again. We went in search of the bluffs. We started out on a very nice paved [bike] trail alongside the river -note to self: go biking & kayaking here in the summer, when it's not so cold it makes your nose run and your fingers tingle- before setting off into the woods on a hiking trail...

 that wound around the trees, uphill, till we were standing across the gorge, overlooking the bluffs I so wanted to see.  

 Here's a better picture... without our heads obstructing the view.
The bluffs here are not as high as the ones in AR, and more weathered due to the more extreme changes in weather, but they still make my heart give off a happy sigh. 

After we got home, the real fun began. We got to keep our granddaughter for her first sleepover at Grammie's house. Best anniversary gift ever.  This little munchkin has added so much joy to our lives.

Young love has its merits, but give me mature, comfortable love. The connection that comes with years of togetherness... being able to predict what your spouse is thinking, and to communicate without saying a word, simultaneously craving the same snack, and knowing which way to hang the toilet paper... is something that only happens when you put in the time and work to your marriage.
We're lovin' this stage of life. It's the best stage yet. If the old adage is true- time flies when you're having fun- then we're having fun!