He got me!

I knew something was going on. We'd just celebrated 8 years together as a married couple, and I was told not to make any plans for the weekend. What I didn't know was how swept off my feet I was about to be. Friday, I began to pack my bag, and it went kinda like this....
K: "So, will I need jeans?"
J: "Maybe."
K: "Should I bring a swimsuit?"
J: "If you want to."

As you can imagine, I started to get a little tested. Not to be rude and all, but it's okay to surprise me... not okay to annoy me. After a LONG process of choosing outfits, then changing my mind, I finally settled on a couple get-ups, and off we went. First stop: dropping off the kids. Again, I was clueless. Didn't know who's house they were going to, what they were going to do, whether or not sunscreen was packed or not, or even how long until I could see them again. {Later I'd uncover that we were dropping them off at Nana and Grandpa's for one night and they'd be enjoying a fun evening at the ball park  Absolutely no reason to worry.}

We continued our drive south through town, and Jarin asked what was on my mind. I was totally thrown for a loop. Downtown Cedar Rapids? Nope, we're now out of town. Des Moines? Nope he headed west just to throw me off before exiting off the interstate. Iowa City? Nope, passed that. Quad Cities it must be! Sure enough, we exited near our old house, filled up on gas, and ... back on the road! You have to be kidding me, I thought. It was now two hours since leaving our house, and I still had no flippin' clue where my fabulous-jack-ass-of-a-husband was taking me.

At this point, I was getting irked. In case you didn't know, I love to plan. When that control is taken away from me.... ugh! I was confused. Jarin smirked. I was pissed. Jarin laughed.

And yet part of me was loving every moment of the excitement!

Finally, he gives me the go ahead to open the glove compartment. Inside I find the most perfect card with the following message:

"To my beautiful bride of 8 years.... These have been the best 8 years I could ask for. Here is to a great weekend and many more happy years. Love you. Jarin"

And then inside are two tickets to the Brad Paisley, Miranda Lambert, the Band Perry, Jerrod Nieman, and Chris Young concert at Wrigley Field!!! Holy ba-donk-a-donk! This was going to be awesome! But instead, I looked at Jarin and said, "Aw, you could have told me to bring my cowboy boots."
At the next exit, Jarin pulls into the outlet mall, pops the trunk, pulls out by cowboy boots and says, "now you have to find an outfit to match." I was totally overwhelmed! The pressure of shopping in a short amount of time was killing me. But, I did good, shopped quick, spent his money, and we were back on the road.

The night was amazing! We took our time with dinner and drinks before we entered.

We were among an enormous crowd of people... (and, believe me, the nose bleeds didn't bother me one bit!!)

We danced, we sang, we kissed, we drank! And by the end of the night, we even ran into a couple of our favorite people from college. (Don't mind our "googly" eyes -- it's still a cute pic!!)

It was by far one of the best nights that we've spent together in a long time. No interruptions, the time was ours, and the experience was a blast. We stayed in a beautiful hotel downtown Chicago and spent the next morning walking Navy Pier and talking as if it were our first date.

Amazing, scary, cliche, or crazy as it sounds, I learned a lot about my husband of 8 years in just a 36 hour span. And I think the same could be said for him. For any married couple out there... take time together, just the two of you.... go somewhere you can talk, trust, open up, ask questions and hear each other out. You will do wonders for your marriage and for each other.