Last Updated on March 21, 2018
My husband and I got married this past December so… technically we are still newlyweds. It’s an interesting thing being a newlywed in your 30s. It’s an even more interesting thing being a newlywed with children in your 30s and learning how to blend a family with your new husband. But one of the things that I think is common to all newlyweds is this period of getting to know each other in new ways. Ways you don’t get to see while you’re dating.
In many ways my hubby and I are still getting acquainted with each other. After the kids go to bed and he finishes up with work is the time when we get to really talk. We always try to go to bed at the same time… which means we’re both usually brushing our teeth about the same time. Sometimes our conversations have to be interrupted by the tooth brushing. But that’s ok because we’re practicing for the day when we’ll actually be able to understand what the other person is trying to say without words. Until that day though we have what we call ‘Toothbrush Charades.’
I used to think I was quite good at communicating what I wanted to say without words. Toothbrush charades however has me thinking I need a little more practice. Case in point, last night’s episode left me laughing so hard I had to sit down and left hubby quietly shaking his head at the quirkily odd woman he’s married.
Last night we were talking about our culture and current events and other things. I was in the middle of a wonderfully insightful comment about how I don’t think we, as a culture (and many of us as individuals), fear the right things. I made this comment right as he began brushing his teeth. So began last night’s episode of ‘ToothBrush Charades:’
Me: ‘I don’t think we’re afraid of the right things as a culture anymore.’
Hubby: Makes a scared looking face and looks up.
Me: Looks at him with one eyebrow raised…
Hubby: Holds up 3 fingers
Me: ‘3 words’
Hubby: Shakes head and holds up 3 fingers
Me: ‘3 syllables?’
Hubby: Shakes head, sighs, and holds up 3 fingers
Me: Lost because I’m really bad at charades
Hubby: Stops brushing his teeth long enough to say ‘Letter’
Me: OH! First letter is ‘W’
Hubby: Nods enthusiatically
Me: Blank look
Hubby: Makes the sign for 2 syllables on his arm
Me: Starts guessing at ‘W’ words… ‘Whatever?’
Hubby: Raises his eyebrow at me
Me: Window!
Hubby: Looks at me like I’m nuts
Me: Wise… (trails off trying to think of w words)
Hubby: Puts his finger on his nose and makes encouraging signs like I’ve almost got it right.
Me: Long blank look… ‘Wisdom!’
Hubby: Stops brushing his teeth. Looks at me. And in his best announcer voice: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of … Window!”
Me: ‘Well… I forgot about that first part… I totally would’ve gotten that.’
I’m not entirely certain he knows what he’s gotten himself into… but we do make each other laugh.
Katie is the mom of two children and thoroughly enjoys eliciting giggles and grins from them. As a brain tumor survivor who found herself raising her two children alone, she learned first hand the power of on-line relationships and has a heart for sharing help and hope with others. Katie has been a mom for 9+ years and has been remarried for 2 years.