I had the best day yesterday. Raul and I had a wedding to go to in Manhattan and decided at the last minute that it would be a lot more fun if the kids stayed here with Greema Teresera (as Lola would say). I know it sounds totally lame, but after the week I've had, really the last few weeks we've both had, we really needed yesterday. We headed out around 11am  and talked for 2 hours straight. No radio, no iPod, no books. For those of us who know my Raul that was amazing!

The wedding was so beautiful Shauna looked stunning and I loved her bridesmaids dresses...black with a little bit of green...and cowgirl boots! The groom was Scott's cousin Brian, he was so sweet and tender with his new bride...awe young love (should we have warned them)? Totally kidding!!! The reception was held in an old opera house in downtown Manhattan, it was very cool. We got to see all of the Sanchez side which is always in interesting time!

Unfortunately we couldn't stay long, Raul had to work last night so we left early. The drive home was gorgeous. We took the scenic route through the Flint Hills and it was beautiful. There were two storms in the distance and an amazing sunset, last night Kansas was not boring. (We must be getting old).

The ride home was just as awesome as the ride there. We had wonderful conversations about God and his amazing creation, our marriage and family, moving, our friends who are moving...sniff, sniff. I realized just how much I have been missing my husband. Even though we see each other every day and talk every day we don't take the time we need to really just be together. It is something that we just don't do anymore...we hang out at home (with our kids), we go out on the weekends (with our friends), but we don't date. We really need to date.

There is a verse in Isaiah that I love; it says "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:19. I wouldn't call my marriage a desert or a wasteland, but sometimes it can feel that way! We struggle just like everybody else. When something isn't working in your marriage it might be time to try "a new thing." It might be praying together, seeking out trusted Christian friends for advice, counseling or simply taking the time to date your spouse. Whatever it might be God can and will make a way in our deserts. He can and will give us streams in our wastelands. As I'm learning in bible study right now, sometimes it is God that chooses the wilderness for us. He brings us there so we can learn to depend on him for everything in our lives. He brings us there so we can truly experience Him, the God of the universe, in a personal way. He's all about relationship with his people. When we finally learn that we can't do life on our own, and surrender it all to him; we can truly experience God in a way that didn't know was possible.