My husband and I dated for almost a year before we got married. Our dating consisted of many things, from dinners to work dates, hiking to movies. This was a great time to get to know each other and spend time together.

We have now been married for over 29 years. But one thing has been consistent throughout our marriage. We still go on dates. I think often when we get married we forget about dating, but this is something that I look forward to throughout the week. It’s a guaranteed time with just my husband, and I love spending time with him.

As we get older we do much less adventurous things, although once in a while we get crazy and do something bigger like ride the train for my birthday or go stay at a hotel. When my kids were playing sports, we’d drive to basketball games and stay the night. Although it was kind of with one of the kids, they were involved in their sport, so we got lots of time together.

A lot of our dates in the summer revolve around work. He calls and asks if I’d like to go on a date and we go to Lowes or the local lumber yard for more supplies for his jobs, we then go get something to eat together, sit and visit for a while, and then head back to the job site or home.

Tuesday’s are a great day to go on a date here. Senor Taco, one of the local restaurants, has a Taco Tuesday where they have tacos for $1.95 (some specialty tacos are more). Then the movie theater has all their movies for $5. We can go on a date for less than $20 for the two of us. It’s one of my favorite dates.

I used to think dates had to be something extra special, nice clothes and fancy dinner, or big plans like driving somewhere to hike and seeing new things. Those are fun dates sometimes. But dating my husband for so many years I’ve decided, at least for me, that dating is just being with my husband. Sometimes we talk the whole time. Sometimes I talk the whole time, sometimes he does. Sometimes we enjoy the quiet of no one talking. It’s just about being together. Any time I get to spend with him is good time, and one on one time is extra special even if we are home sitting on the couch watching a movie by ourselves.