I actually really like my husband...

So I just re-read the title of this post, and I had to laugh because it just sounds so incredibly wrong... I mean my knee jerk reaction is, "Oh course you really like your husband, you idiot, why else would you have married him?"  Yes- I married my husband because I am in love with him... but I have learned that being in love with someone and liking someone are two very different things.  For instance, I love my sisters.  We have been together through so much.  They are a backbone for me in so many ways.  They support me, love me, and help me through anything.  However, (if you have sisters you can relate) I do not always like my sisters.  My sisters are some of the only people in my life that will tell me like it is... no sugar coating, no being politically correct-they will flat out tell me, and put me in my place if I step out of line.  It is at times like that when I don't really "like" my sisters.

Husbands are the same way.  When you get married, you take an oath to love each other unconditionally.  You pledge that through "sickness or health, for richer or poorer" you will love your spouse... but you do not pledge to like them. Love and like are so different.  Love in many ways is easy, it is emotional, it is nonsensical, it is hard to control.   It is hard to like someone unconditionally.  It takes time, patience, understanding, and most importantly, respect.  I must admit through the chaos of life, I forgot about that.  I admit it, I took my husband for granted... we took each other for granted. I always say at the end of the day when I am tired, and worn down, he gets the worst of me.  And while in the spirit of admitting to my poor behavior, I will admit there are days when I can be more friendly to the drive-thru pharmacist at CVS than to my own husband- the man who promised to "put up" with me for the rest of his life.

So, what made me realize I really like my husband?  A much needed mini-vacation to a ski resort.  We spent two days doing something we love together; skiing.  It was just the two of us, which is a first since before we had the boys.  We chatted like best friends on the lifts, and we supported each other on the slopes down...  He helped me with my form, and I helped him realize he is no longer an 18 year old that can do 360s off jumps.  We had beers at the bottom of the slopes, and told stories, and we laughed- A LOT.  We talked about how lucky we are to have each other, and about how lucky we are to have our lil monkeys who at the time were 150 miles away (thank god:)).   Somehow when we were away from the chaos and stress how everyday life, we were able to take a breathe and realize, damn we are lucky.  We love each other, but more importantly we like each other.  There was no one else in the world I wanted to be with in the middle of the West Virginia mountains, but him.  It was a gentle reminder that we do really make a good match, and I need to remember to take a moment to have a moment together- and like him.

From one soul to another,
Liking is as important as Loving