Newlyweds again

If you have been married for a few years, then you can probably relate to what I'm about to talk about.  If you are not married or are indeed newlyweds, don't be frightened by what might seen like the sad existence of happily married couples.

About a dozen years ago, I had to have the perfect makeup, the lightly tanned skin, the great smelling, shiny hair, the perfect nails, well-shaped eyebrows and the softest skin and lips.  However, it all came from one costly bottle or another or from my favorite salon.  The point is it all was costing money.  It didn't take long after Ed and I were married to start trimming the budget.  He was going to school, working part-time and Grace was little so as time passed the nails didn't get done, the expensive perfume was replaced with a dab of vanilla.  Shiny highlights were replaced with home hair coloring kits.  Bottles of lotions, creams, lip balms and expensive shampoos eventually ran out and less expensive, more practical beauty supplies took over our bathroom.  Things like shaving lotion was replaced with a bar of soap.  Make-up became a "dress-up" thing to save time and money.  Lip balms and lotions were replaced with a never ending tub of Eucerin and Vaseline.

Overtime our silky, sateen sheets gave way to cotton and eventually even to a set of flannel sheets that showed up for winter so we could keep the thermostat set a little lower.  The days of  Victoria Secret pajamas and matching bras, panties and slips gave way to having 2 bras and a lot of mismatched "10 pairs for $8" Wal-Mart cotton undies.  I'm not complaining, it just what happens over a dozen years and 10 kids; priorities change.  The days of newlywed ideals give way to the simple and rewarding realities of family life.

Get your own $1 coupon here
as long as the link last.

So this weekend I was matching ads and coupons, I found that I could get an awesome razor for 25 cents, but it was bundled with a free sample of Skintimate (R) shaving lotion.  I hadn't bought that brand in at least a dozen years since a bar of soap works for shaving legs too, but I wanted the 25 cent razor.  I brought it home and told Grace she could have the shaving lotion, but she didn't want it.  I'm not one to waste anything so of course I used it when I shaved.  Later when I went to bed, Ed comments, "Your legs are so smooth and soft just like when we were newlyweds."   I had to smile and try not to laugh at the thought that my husband who may or may not notice when one of our children is missing...would notice my use of a product again after a dozen years of saving money.

So who knows maybe this is the start of returning to our former "newlywed-selves" or maybe its just a small step in the direction of memories, but either way that can of shaving lotion had a $1 off coupon on it so there is probably at least one more can of soft newlywed legs in our future. LOL!

And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us:

and establish thou the work of our hands upon us;

yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. --Psalms 90:17