I like the excitement of the kids and I looking at each other and talking about what we’re going to do to entertain ourselves while dad is gone. How will we distract ourselves? We eat breakfast for dinner. We stay up late watching movies. We stay out of the house into the evening because we know that dad isn’t at home.

The worst part though is the silence in the house after the kids are in bed. The time that I usually spend talking with Chuck and hearing about his day but usually about his plans. Chuck is a planner, through and through. He has a mind that never sleeps. He even talks in his sleep sometimes! I love the banter. I love that he listens to my plans and ambitions. I swear that we can talk all day, every day for the rest of our lives and never get bored or tired of being together.

That’s what makes the nights so hard. The house is asleep. The children are asleep. Even the dog is snoring next to me but besides the sound of Daisy sleeping my house is absolutely silent.

I can’t sleep like this. I usually fall asleep to the sound of Chuck’s voice or the sound of his breathing next to me. It may sound sappy and sentimental but I don’t care because tonight I am missing my husband.

One of the things I love most about Chuck is how well he knows me and how thoughtful he is. I love the simple things he does without a lot of fan fare and parading around to make sure I notice everything he’s doing for me. I love the small measures.

I love sitting in the evening and being brought fruit and yogurt, one of my favorite desserts, and a cup of hot tea.

It’s not a huge gesture but it’s thoughtful and it makes me look forward to spending years eating desserts and sipping tea in the evenings.