240 minutes

Dear family,
We know this blog is primarily for your Abby-watching enjoyment, and it has proved to be a great way to close the gap between Virginia and Georgia as you watch Abby growing up in pictures. But I have to take a break from addressing my usual audience for one night, and say a special thank you to the couple who made it possible for us to enjoy 240 Abby-free minutes this evening.

An open letter to our neighbors:

Tonight we were able, for the first time in almost four months, to get out of the house for a long-awaited date night. It was a wonderful (albeit strange) feeling to be able to go out and enjoy dinner without worrying about when Abby might start getting fussy, or when I had to feed her next, or when we needed to be home to put her to bed. We enjoyed getting to spend time with the other parents at Justin's office Christmas party--it was quite different seeing everyone all dressed up with no spit-up stains on their shirts or toddlers tugging on their trousers. I realized however, that when a group of parents finally gets away from their kids for a couple of hours, we find ourselves talking incessantly about...our kids. But talking about them and talking over them are two very different things, and it was nice to do the former without the latter for once.

Yes, we're parents now, and we love it; but long before there was Abby, it was just the two of us, and these little date nights are invaluable when it comes to keeping that relationship strong and sane. So please let us return the favor, and soon. Because tonight was fun, and it won't be long before we'll be asking you to babysit again. Thanks again you guys!