Chatterboxes

Tonight was date night. I live all week long for date night, truth be told. I am one lucky lady: my husband is devout about taking me out. Thank Heaven! It's probably one of the main reasons we are still married and still (mostly) sane.

What was different about tonight's date was that we had a date with another dating couple. I have noticed that we have friends - lots of friends - but we don't see any of them socially. It is starting to bug me. A lot. I announced to my husband a few weeks back that I was commandeering one date night a month to go out with some of our friends. He is cool with this.

Oh my giddy aunt! Dating our friends is harder than I imagined. We are all so busy! We've had two different cancellations. I was inordinately bummed each time. It's like being stood up. Only I understand: kids, work, church responsibilities, finance, extended family, pure exhaustion...I live on that planet, too.

So, yesterday, our friends called to make sure we were still on. Heck yes! We didn't do anything exciting, per se; went out to eat together. And talked for three hours. I'm embarrassed to admit that because it sounds like we are awkwardly over-eager or socially maladjusted. It was awesome. We talked about our kids (of course), our health ailments (sad but true), politics (vigorously) and Chuck Norris (don't ask and Chuck Norris won't take it personally).

Not to knock my husband's valiant efforts, but it was the best date we've had in a long time. It was immensely satisfying to be chatterboxes and to chatter like boxes and to get take-out boxes so we could have our chatter "to go".  I am grateful for friends. I am grateful for friends who are as busy as I am, who understand what my life is like, and who can keep pace with my gift of gab for three hours straight.

What are you blessed with today?