a secret garden

my amazing and wonderful husband, Chad, and I don't have much to hide. I met him in the fall of 2005 at that time in my life (CAUTION: cliche approaching) when I wasn't even looking for love. Well, maybe love but not a husband or a family. I was 25, had just completed grad school, started my first job, and was finally living on my own (sans roommates, etc.). I had a most fabulous apartment with a garden oval tub, a pool that stayed open through September (for those rare warm fall days), and plenty of singles. I was L-I-V-I-N.

I had recently ended a long-term relationship in which I followed the man kid guy around the world after two years of believing he was the one and trying to convince him so. In the end, we weren't meant for each other and I still regret leaving the country for a 30 day backpacking trip to New Zealand in which I never phoned him or sent a card. I guess that was my way of telling him it was over (I probably could have been more sensitive). So what is a relatively shy newly single girl to do? Try internet dating. Right. That ended with a few good dinners, zero romance, and an opportunity for a hot air balloon ride that I politely declined. Even the cable man asked me out but it was a nice "no thank you." I was having fun, though. I took salsa lessons, late nights in Newport, and wonderful evenings out with the girls. Happy hour became a popular tradition. Oh, and however did I manage to work on Fridays after staying out until 3:00 on Thursday nights. That continues to baffle me. But it was the happy hour where it all began. That's where our friends finally conceived a plan to connect the two of us and we've never looked back. He is the one for me.

On our first official date I mentioned that I had tried the internet dating thing for about a month. Six years later he still makes fun of me. Should have made that secret number one. Because somethings are just easier to keep mum. I have never kept a secret from Chad that would harm our marriage, our family, our relationship. What I do keep a secret is that I like to write and now I have my own blog spot. He'd spend the next 40 years mocking me if he knew. I tried to keep Facebook a secret too but when I started knowing things about his friends he became suspicious. He makes fun of me daily about it now. Secrets 3 through 30 would be about how much money I've spent at Kohl's etc. I will typically just come home and tell him how much I've saved instead. I don't often explain to him the details of my gardening either. He helps when he can, provides his input when he feels, and leaves the rest to me. Secret number 31 is that I plan to buy a swing or glider to put in the side yard so that I can sit and watch the boys play ball or just admire Terri's yard. I doubt he'll mind when it's done but if I tell him of plans now, he'll likely say no. So those are some of the secrets in my garden. Nothing scandalous, nothing outrageous. Just things that are probably better if I know and Chad doesn't.