That's How I Know

Some might wonder, how do you know you're still in love with your husband after all those years?  I'll tell you how I know.  It's the laughter. 

I call him at work every morning after I drop the last kid off at school.  (He always answers the phone, "Hello, Beautiful.")  This morning, we got talking about the way he used to dress when we were first dating.  This was in 1992, just under two decades ago.  I was a frizzy haired, Express leather jacket wearing, penny loafers clad, preppy girl.  He was scheduled to pick me up for one of our first dates.  We'd been out a few times but were still in the beginning process of our courtship.  I prepped for an hour.  I'm sure my hair was extra tall that day.  If you can believe it, I actually remember what I wore.  I was lookin' fine by 90s standards!

This tall, skinny, guy arrived to pick me up.  He was wearing an old t-shirt, a pair of royal blue sweatpants that said BRONCOS down one leg, and dirty Asic Gel tennis shoes with horribly huge tongues sticking out.  I took one look at him and wondered, What have I gotten myself into?  I happily climbed into his '80-something, black Grand Am and rode to the mall.  (Yeah, we had a lot of dates at the mall.)  It was that very shopping trip that I talked him into purchasing a brand new, stylish pair of Nikes.  I had a hard time being seen with a guy who wore Asics and sweatpants.

Years later, we were still together and I confessed to him that I used to be embarrassed by the way he dressed in the early nineties.  By this time, he was wearing Ralph Lauren sweaters and Structure jeans.  I fixed him.  He agreed that he didn't know what he was thinking and it became a big joke to us.

Again this morning, we got talking about the Broncos sweatpants.  I recently found them, stashed away in a box, when I was cleaning out the basement.  I cared enough to hide them from him but apparently had enough memories of them that I couldn't throw them away.  We laughed and laughed while he made fun of himself.  He said if it wasn't for me, he would be one of those people who goes to the grocery store in his pajamas (he knows that's a pet peeve of mine).  I said, "Well, you showed up for our date in your pajamas!  You know you were in bed sleeping in those sweatpants while I was getting ready.  You rolled out of bed, put gel in your hair, and picked me up!"  I love how we can laugh together about the old times!

Am I the only one who was once embarrassed by their future spouse's appearance???