So, my husband and I were able to escape to the mountains this past weekend.
We are blessed. And we know it. Just over a year ago, we made a big step and purchased a condo in the little town of Canmore nestled right in the Rocky Mountains. It is only one hour from our home, so unlike a vacation destination, we are able to go at the last minute and we are able to go frequently.
Our decision to make this investment was two-fold. First, we wanted to make better use of our retirement savings and the bank just wasn't doing a reliable job in our opinion. Secondly, as we move toward being empty-nesters, we want to establish who we are as a couple again.
For many years, our marriage relationship has been based on raising a family. Every decision, every holiday, every purchase, every gathering has been about who we are as a family. It was, and still continues to be, wonderful. We have been blessed (yet again) with wonderful girls who do not cause us one bit of worry or pain. But with one in university and the other finishing grade 12, we are now looking ahead...
Who do we want to be as a couple again? What will we do with our time? How will we spend / save our money? What will be our priorities? Where do we want to live out our lives? And how do we reconnect as two?
This is where we are in our lives right now. And this is why we purchased a condo in the mountains. Having the opportunity to just dash away to such a beautiful and refreshing location is drawing us closer.
On Friday night I came home from work and plopped on the bed, exhausted from a full week and thankful for the coming weekend. About a half hour later, Sean came home and plopped on the bed beside me. Within 20 minutes, we had decided to get in the car and go out to our condo. Just like that. We are blessed.
We love to eat. On Saturday we discovered a cozy bakery tucked away where we had never noticed it before. All fresh food. All made on site. All local ingredients. So we sat and enjoyed some carrot + ginger soup and chatted.
It is in these moments that we reconnect. We talk about our girls. We talk about our health. We talk about our finances and where we want to make new investments. We talk about our parents and taking care of them as they age. We talk about what adventures we want to engage in to get our bodies moving (cross-country skiing came up this time). But the best part is, we are together. And we are reconnecting.
Another strong reason for purchasing our condo was to ensure that we are active and healthy in our lives as we get older. Canmore offers year round activities. There is hiking (we go geocaching), swimming, and biking in the warmer months. There is skiing, skating, snowshoeing and an indoor recreation center in the colder months. So we figured that no matter when we spend time in Canmore we will have a choice of activities to keep us moving. And that is important to both of us.
This past weekend was a bit chilly for any extended outdoor activities, but we did make a point of lacing up our skates and going for a few vigorous laps around our favourite local outdoor pond. Then it was home (to the condo) for tea and snuggling up to watch a movie.
We are blessed and we know it. But we are also moving forward in our lives with intention. In a time where divorce is at a shockingly high rate, we are not leaving anything to chance.
And since my One LIttle Word is PURSUE, it only seemed logical that I apply it to my marriage too...
