Who Knew That Cleaning Up Baby Puke Was Romantic?

After almost 30 years of being together one has time to contemplate romance and what it really is. Like homesteading, romance can be many different things.  It is determined by the need of the individual and what their love language is.  Apparently I must be somewhat of a simpleton as I have looked back at the years that Ron’s and my relationship have spanned and I see romance in every day moments.  Moments that I otherwise would have felt overwhelm by those very events that romance was demonstrated because of love. Don’t get me wrong, the occasional bouquet of flowers with that awesome note of declaration of love is breath taking. Or the quiet romantic dinner and the slow dance together.  I believe though that is where many marriages begin to fall apart.

Lets face it, when the children come and the bills pile up there is little time, energy or sometimes money that will allow the above mentioned romantic moments.  We live in a culture that we are bombarded via advertisements and TV shows (are they still called TV shows?) soap operas, songs etc. that tell us what “true romance” is.  This can create a discontentment in the heart and instead of seeing what real romance looks like we look at our life and begin to feel void of it.

Like I said earlier, maybe I’m a simpleton or maybe I am really deeper on this subject than I am willing to acknowledge but for me, a wife, mother, homesteader and somedays  just a normal overworked woman, romance to me is cleaning up baby puke.

Here are just a few things that say “ROMANCE”!

Romance is working everyday to provide for his family despite the weather. Romance is making sure his family is warm.

Romance is thinking beyond the moment to the bigger picture.

Romance is despite being 52 years of age, wanting another baby. Ah yes, more fruit of a love that has lasted the time and trials of life.

Romance is helping with the daily chores, changing diapers even though he gets urinated on by the baby every time he helps with that chore.

Romance is cleaning up after the moment the baby decides his dinner is better on the outside then the inside of him, hence baby puke. 

YES I HAVE PHOTOS BUT NO, I WON’T SUBJECT YOU TO THEM.  SOMETHINGS ARE BEST LEFT UNSEEN

Romance is being there for the important moments, big and small.

Romance is taking time to train the young ones.

Romance is leading his family in their walk with the Lord….every chance he gets while keeping his own walk with the Lord on track.

Romance is having compassion and gentleness with ones that can’t take care of themselves.

And passing that compassion onto your children through example.

Romance is being there for you and your best four legged friend when its time to say goodbye because your fury pal has reach the end.

Romance is hauling that 10 ton ice box home; well 10 tons might be an exaggeration but when moving it there must be some form of resemblance to that weight.  Hauling it from 3 hours away, getting lost and almost arrested in the process which is a whole other story but doing it all because he knows that you want it and finding only humor in the travels to get it.

Then working on it to restore it from decades of exposure when you have 100 other more important things to do.

And turning it into something beautiful. See the handsome boy next to it? This was Zeb at 5 years old.

Romance is building the piece of furniture you concocted in your brain, doing it simply by description.

While at the same time bounding with and guiding his children.

Romance is steeling a moment away so you can catch your breath and hear the silence that is out there but that you didn’t have time for that day. It is taking time to hold you just to hold you, because he knows you are a woman and sometimes the things you may feel just can’t be put into words and you just need the reassurance that someone is going to make it all okay. It is wiping away the tears, even when he doesn’t understand why they are falling but he wants to make your heartache better.

Romance is his investment into his family.

Romance is knowing he is there every night, feeding the fires, letting out the dogs, checking the noises outside, watching over his family.

Romance isn’t the vacations he takes you on but the dedication he gives to you.

Romance is sacrifice, it is his heart being worn on his sleeve.

Romance is respect, for you, for your feelings, for your life together.

Romance is grocery shopping together. Romance is his driving you on errands not because he doubts your ability but because he enjoys being with you and he has a need inside him to be there to protect you.

Romance is protective but not possessive.

Romance is hearing your dreams and supporting them.

Romance is seeing a job and tackling it together.

Romance is telling you dinner is great, even when you know it is not.

Romance is moving a 350 lb piano 400 plus feet in the snow because your bride found it for free on Craigslist and she thought it would be great for the family

Romance is an investment into every day, every moment. Romance is intentional and purposeful. Romance is a surprise yet dependable.  Romance loves company but understands it needs times to be alone.  Romance is flowers and diapers, hard work, sweaty and stinky while all the time smelling sweeter then any aroma ever smelt.  Romance is laughter and tears. Romance is loud and quiet.

Romance is love in action.  Flowers and candle lit dinners are nice but the investment of the heart in those can be little if the heart is not invested in the person. In the world romance does not always equate love but true love will always equate true romance.