dinner reservations

i should have married my dad. he's the perfect man. wait- that does not sound right. my dad is pretty near perfect. but i guess i wouldn't actually want to marry him. that's creepy. i would like to go back home sometimes and never leave again- or grow up. just be around my nearly perfect mom and dad forever.

on second thought. scratch that. i would go crazy. and i would have to go back to church.

but that feeling still creeps up now and again. more often lately than usual. they are so blasted sweet and smart and wonderful. i love talking to them on the phone. i love visiting them at the condo. i cannot wait to visit them in Seattle. i hope they visit me here.

i am almost 28 (gasp). i have been away from home for 9 years. it's not quite homesickness. but whatever it is, it is not cured by shephard's pie (although it does make the tummy warm and full and the bed extra comfy).

my parents are still married and are as cute as ever. or maybe even cuter than ever. as they grow older (they are actually no older than the day i left home), they seem to grow together. like two trees whose roots become more and more intertwined beneath and above the soil- so that passersby can catch glimpses of their interdependence through the sweet, but sometimes aggravated, glances and smirks and light touches they give each other.

yesterday, my dad called my mom from work. my mom said he calls once in a awhile from work and that it's cute-

-whatcha doin' girl?
-(here my mom said she tried to come up with something clever-- like 'just went on a bike ride,' but since she had ankle surgery and she hates bike riding it has been more like 'sitting on my butt.')
-we have dinner reservations at 6.
-that's weird... why? who are we taking to dinner?
-that's not very nice.
-oh yeah, let me start over: that's really thoughtful honey.
-i just wanted to take you to watch the sunset.

my mom was a little concerned about getting dressed up with her gigantic ankle brace, but managed and reported to me that she looked so cute

-i forgot i could look SO good!

not sure what the point of this story is really. except that they are adorable, sorry dad, adorable. mom getting dressed up for dad. dad rushing home to take her out for their dinner reservations. they missed the sunset, dad apologized through the entire dinner. mom talks nonstop and is sure that he is having to put forth effort to enjoy her. but he does enjoy her. he doesn't just tolerate your thoughts that seem to have no point. he wouldn't know what to do without them. beneath that look of annoyance of his is a smirk that translates to -- i love you.

isn't it reassuring how two people can make it through all of their struggles and make it this far and still be cute and happy and comical. they seriously are their own seinfeld-ish series.