Back to Reality

Without realizing it, Drew and I have had house guests for the past two weeks.  Time flies when you're having fun and hosting people!  This means that after two very fun weeks, things will slowly go back to reality - even though it felt odd not telling someone in our living room "goodnight" last night.  Also without realizing it, Drew and I have also begun to feel a little more like roommates than husband and wife during this time - there just hasn't been much free time to talk to one another and we're up late and tired and go right to sleep and repeat it all the next day.  So now we can go back to being husband and wife, we'll put away the air mattress that's been out in our living room and get this place shaped up and maybe take some "after" pictures for you folks.  The rest of this week and weekend, we're looking forward to relaxing and being together again - no agenda and lots of meals at home!

We observed this past weekend that when you're on vacation with another person, you can't exactly be....yourself.  You can't argue or snap at each other, because that's just awkward and uncomfortable for the other person.  You also can't lean over and plant a wet smooch or have a make out session in front of them either, because that's ALSO incredibly uncomfortable.  So you basically have to be perfect and try to put on a good show for these people.

Which is impossible.  If it were just the two of us navigating these tiny, narrow, terrifying mountain roads, I would have told Drew he was driving way too close to the side of the mountain and that we'd fall off at any given moment.  Drew would snap back at me and tell me how stressed out he was and to shut up.  We'd snip at each other another minute, and then probably start laughing and apologize.  That's what we do.  When someone else is in the car with you, you can't do these things.  I might say "Drew.  You're VERY CLOSE to the side of the road right now." - slightly terse, full of panic/anger.  This would annoy him.  And then he might say "LAUREN.  I KNOW THAT - but there's a car ABOUT TO HIT US." - in a very calm but patronizing tone.  Which would then make me mad that he's patronizing me.  Can we express any of those things in front of our guest?  No way!  That tension-filled exchange was quite enough and she's already feeling a little awkward.  So we let it build and when Kara says "Ooooh!  Let's pull over here and take a picture!" we wait until her door shuts to air our grievances, quickly, before she gets back in the car.  Once she's back, we're all good and seemingly perfect again.  It's a bit exhausting trying to pretend you're in a 1 Corinthians 13 type of relationship allllll the time because I'm here to tell you...that's impossible.  Especially on these roads.  Sigh.  

ANYWAY, this is not to say we didn't have a wonderful time with each other, and with Kara, and with the spectacular breathtaking scenery.  We really did and this situation only happened a handful of times.  And it's also not to say we don't love guests!  We do!  Anyone and everyone: COME VISIT US!  We just might not take you on a drive through the mountains on one-laned roads.  You'll thank us - just ask Kara.  

Now that these observations are off my chest, I'll now be posting pics and videos of the trip so stay tuned!