Till we are old and gray

Yes.. it's the Notebook but last night was beyond the all-time famous love movie.

Last night my husband and 2 guys surprised the wives with one of the most thoughtful acts of love. They set up an outdoor screening, a fire pit, a table with take-out food, a section for making smores, and surrounded the fire pit with pillows and blankets with the sounds of Sam Cooke filling the backyard.

It all started when he came home from work and he started packing things into a duffel bag. I wasn't allowed downstairs. He yelled upstairs for me to grab some gloves, dress very warm, and bring my kindle if I wanted. I was SO confused.  I will admit I am pretty perceptive so I can sometimes get an idea of what my husband is up to. I was completely stumped at that moment.

THEN we got on the road and we were driving so far! He kept saying "I shouldn't have made our reservations so early!" but the funny thing is that I completely noticed he was wearing his work shirt (polo shirt with the company logo). I knew there was no way we could be going to a restaurant so I was like "what is he up to?!?!"

As we pull up on a street in Chandler, I quickly recognize that we are going to a friend's house. I get out of the car, he hands me a bottle of wine, knocks on the door -- my friend Allison answers -- then he waves and says "you girls have a good time.. I'll see you later!"

Wait. WHAT?!

Allison is laughing and all smiles, so I think she MUST know what's going on. Then she proceeds to tell me that her husband is meeting up with Jose and it dawns on me that this is no longer just Jose and I. YES!! I am one of those people that loves to celebrate things with friends ... not necessarily a very large group, but I'm definitely a person that loves to include others. After 30 minutes of chatting and drinking wine (on an empty stomach which is another story of its own!), our friend Janean rings the doorbell. Her face says it all - utter confusion.

After about an hour, we finally get a text that says we should hit the road and Allison knows our "destination." Uh-huh, way to keep it on the DL Allison! So we get on the road and arrive at Janean's house. I see a huge extension cord plugged near the front door leading to the backyard.  We get inside and our husbands hand us a wine glass and despite my already slight lack of coordination from the earlier 2 glasses, I take it. They escort us outside and my jaw DROPS. The fire is roaring, a huge screen is staring back at us, and the music completely sets the mood.

Dang, guys. Slow dance to Sam Cooke? WHY NOT?! Ryan Gosling who?! I mean, get out of here. This is where I would insert one of those memes that says "LIKE A BOSS." But I'll try and keep it classy around here. I don't know what we did to deserve that much thoughtfulness, but I will sing his praises. I'm beyond blessed to get to wake up looking forward to the life I get to live with Jose at my side. When I'm tangled in his arms and we see the old Ryan Gosling and the old Rachel McAdams' characters on their hospital bed on the screen, he squeezes my hand, and I just know that is exactly where I'm supposed to be. One day those hands will be wrinkly and weathered with time, but they will be together, holding on to a life that we were blessed to share.