Thursday, January 1, 2009

Our Love Story: The Nutcracker

For the next two weeks, Honey and I spent a lot of time together. We did all of the things that new couples enjoy, like going to the movies, trying different restaurants and hearing live music. But we were not like other couples that had just started in their new relationship. Honey and I had already been friends for a year. We already knew a lot of each other's secrets, knew how to make each other laugh and even knew how to get under each others skin.

December was a very full month for us. Not only was it Christmas and New Years, but it's also his birthday. And prior to my return to San Francisco, he had already arranged a two week trip away during Christmas. The start of his trip was in Vegas to celebrate his birthday with 16 of his guy friends and then 12 days in Peru with his sister.

We had just spent a 5 months apart and it took us a year to be together and I wasn't looking forward to us being apart, even if it was only for two weeks.

Honey surprised me with my holiday present, which was opening night tickets to see the Nutcracker ballet in San Francisco. This was a huge sign of how much he cared for me because he was trying to make me happy. I love the ballet and danced for a long time, but was currently out of commission due to my knee and wasn't sure if I would be able to dance again. I got 'all dolled up' in a satin wine colored, floor length, dress and gold ballet shoes. I felt like a Princess when he saw me for the first time and seemed speechless standing at the bottom of the stairs.

The Nutcracker, which was at the San Francisco Opera House, was a spectacular night. The ballet was beautiful and it made me so happy to be there. I watched the performance with a smile on my face from ear to ear. I sat on the edge of my seat and wanted to get on stage and dance with the performers. Honey held my hand, made me feel so special and took care of me the whole night. I looked around at the audience to see the children that had been brought there to make their childhood memories of seeing the Nutcracker. The little girls had on their best dresses, ribbons in their hair and black patent shoes.

To remind me of this night Honey bought me a Nutcracker snow globe from The Opera House ballet store. I vividly remember this store because there was a little girl dancing because she was getting a nutcracker ornament. Her mother smiled at us and said that she had had a rough night and was glad to see her happy. During the ballet performance, she was sick and threw up. By the time we saw her at the ballet store, she was smiling.

Ah the magic of the Nutcracker...

Honey's flight to Vegas was the next day. He came to my apartment to say goodbye. I started to get emotional and my eyes filled with tears as we kissed goodbye. I could see in his eyes that he didn't want to leave me too. I wanted him to have a good time in Vegas (not too much fun) and he deserved an amazing time in Peru, but I was enjoying being with him so much.

As we were kissing goodbye, he told me that he was going to visit Lake Titicaca. My Grandfather, who had died six years earlier, had always wanted to see Lake Titicaca mostly because he laughed every time he said the name. My Grandfather never got his wish. Honey told me he would go to the Lake and say a prayer for me and for my Grandfather.

Honey couldn't call me from Peru and all we had was email to stay in contact. I wondered to myself, "How was I going to get through the next two weeks without him? How did I, Miss Independent, who can do everything by herself, become the kind of girl that couldn't be without her new boyfriend."

Maybe I had truly fallen in love. Have you ever been separated from your loved one for a period of time? Do you think that distance makes the heart grow fonder? I hope you and your family had a wonderful holidays!

10 comments:

Mrs Anne said...

your story warms my heart. you guys have such a beautiful story. :) what a honey he is! i bet you looked so pretty at the ballet!

My J and i lived in seperate states when we first got together... we had been best friends for years, but she had moved to UT and i was in OR. After a few months she moved here... and we've been together ever since. In a week she leaves to go to UT for a week. We haven't been apart from each other that long in a long time... i'm not looking fwd to it. :(

Happiest new year to YOU and YOURS sweet friend!

xo

G. B. Miller said...

Usually, my wife and I have been separated for no longer than a week at a time.

Each time it starts out good on my end (freedom, fun, etc.), but as the week progresses, it does get a harder and harder to fly solo.

Holly said...

happy new year! lovely post. i know just what you mean, i left my bf in CA while i spent a week in paris (with his mom and sister & my mom, no less) and it was TORTURE.

:)

♥ Braja said...

Hey Laura...kinda nothing to say after reading that...but in a good way :)

pj said...

I think a little time apart is good and certainly helps grow a relationship. Emphasis on ' little'. Two weeks probably seemed like forever.

Anonymous said...

My Honey is a musician who spends a fair chunk of time on the road. We both hate it and spend absurd amounts of time on the phone when he's gone. After all these years, you'd think it would get better, but it still feels just as lonely when he's gone.

Unknown said...

Ugh, Mr. Darling and I had to live apart for the first five months of our marriage because of his school schedule. That was tough. But it's doable! :)

There's an award for you on my blog, by the way!

Amy said...

I can totally relate to your post. My love and I were great friends for 3 years before we made the leap into each others arms. He is from the UK and visits for 2 weeks about once a year. The last time he went I found myself asking those same questions. How and when did I become so dependent on someone? I used to pride myself on my survival skills. Love it is! I missed him but absence really did make our hearts grow fonder, it made me appreciate all the little things about him all over again. Great post!

Amy

Laura said...

The heart does grow fonder with distance. Then one day you wonder to yourself what was life like before I welcomed this person into my life. Thank you for all of great comments. Keep them coming. It makes my day!

Lauren said...

Lovely...I have tears in my eyes!! XOXO