Last week my wife and I had the opportunity to, for the first time in our young son’s life, spend the night without him. It was with an awful lot of mixed emotion that we even got to this day, but it was an important step in our family’s ongoing development. Our nine month old son would spend the night with Grammy and Grampy and my wife and I would take the Railroad into the city, check into a luxury hotel, enjoy an upscale dinner, and see the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. It was an extended version of date night and it was most lovely but it only proved there can never ever be any separation again from being a couple and from being parents.
First and foremost we’re parents. We didn’t expect to get away and ignore our responsibilities. And we didn’t think for one second that the topic of just about all of our conversations would be of or about our son. But the cutest and most poignant example of this was when our very special amenity plate was waiting for us upon arrival. It was a gracious display of fruit and cheese and crackers. In a moment of romantic spontaneity, my wife and I simultaneously chose to feed one another grapes, just as they do in the movies. And continuing to think as one unit, as we have for so very long now, we both did the same thing when the grape approached our lips. We ate it like our nine month old would have! Romantic no? But heartwarming? Sure!