9/52

A set of SuperGrandparents.

A bit of entirely unscheduled free time.

Good friends.

Concert tickets.

My in-laws had signed on a few months ago to watch the kids for us this past weekend so we could go to a My Morning Jacket show. Then my sister-in-law had an unexpected need for help, for the very same weekend. Her husband was going to be in Haiti on a mission trip, and she had to take one of her four children out of town for an academic awards thing. Rather than dragging everyone along, she’d asked my in-laws to come stay with half of her brood. I was thinking that academics + social service took precedent over my desire to go to a concert, so I volunteered to stay home. But the in-laws just donned their superhero capes and said, “Nope! We’ll just pick the kids up on our way through and take them along.”

All of this is to say: Rockford and I found ourselves with an unexpected and glorious swath of free time on Thursday evening. We went out for pizza, wandered around the bookstore almost until it closed, took an aimless walk and then went to a movie (“Shutter Island“). It was a spectacular date. But the free time? It wasn’t over! On Friday morning we went to the library and then to Lowe’s, where we bought a new weed whacker. (I know! So much romance!) Then we drove and drove and drove to Mike and Brook’s house, had a great barbecue dinner and then went to the concert.

After a nice breakfast Saturday morning, we drove and drove and drove some more to my sister-in-law’s house, where we re-entered the world of diapers and fruit snacks and arguing about taking antibiotics. I did miss the kids — really! — but our extended Thursday-Friday date was some of the most relaxing time Rockford and I have spent together in, well, years maybe.