dinner at eight :: simply dessert

{Dinner at Eight is a special project I am doing with my friend Andi this year - planning date nights at home for our husbands every other week, putting the kids to bed early and being intentional about our marriages! Read more dinner at eight posts HERE!}

 Chris and I got into a fight this week. It happens. I think mainly is was induced by the fact that all of last week and early this week I have been averaging about three hours of broken up sleep. Not a good average and after so many days your mind sort of wanders into this hazy insane state and all hours of the day feel like 2am. You know that irrational time of day - at least for me - let's just say I might have picked the fight a teeny tiny bit.

Like I said, it happens and we kissed and made up. But along with the sleep deprivation I wasn't sure how to pull off a big fancy date. Luckily it was simply dessert this week. I told Mr. Gough we were suppose to have a dessert date and even though I was tired and not entirely in the mood would he be willing to join me for a few hours of conversation over something sweet.

I chose a cherry chocolate chip soy ice cream cone with vegan oreos on top! It was super yummy. Chris picked simple popcorn for his dessert and we sat together in our family room with the doors open wide letting the cool summer air in for a change. We are finally getting some nice weather around here! We talked about his new job. Something I have yet to really dive into in this space but let me tell you his new job is such a direct gift from God it blows my mind. The Lord made way for Chris to start a job at Seattle's Union Gospel Mission in April - a brand new position basically working as an ambassador for UGM to Churches all over king county networking and joining the hands of so many amazing programs. He is basically responsible for getting Churches involved in community outreach and it's been so fun to see how God is using him already! He told me about a brown bag he attended and all of the exciting things going on locally, serving the poor and homeless. It really is incredible to sit and listen to him pour out his heart and all that God is showing him!

We also joked around - he can sure get me laughing and although I wanted to fall asleep after my cone was finished I enjoyed our little dessert date so much! No fancy decorations or candles this time but a good dose of intentionality was just what the doctor ordered. And then Chris ordered me to go downstairs and sleep in our guest room so that I could finally get some sleep!

Andi and I have been doing these little date nights for six months and it still never ceases to amaze me how important this time focusing on our marriage is and how much it helps being on the same page with one another, listening and encouraging and laughing together without the distraction of everything that gets in the way so often!

I have received SO many amazing emails not to mention comments about dinner at eight. Andi and I hear you we want you guys to be able to get involved and are currently working on the details so stay tuned if this is something you want to be apart of. We are thinking July - I hope you will considered it friends, taking part in the call to be intentional about our relationships even when life gets so busy that sleep is all you think about. I am speaking from experience a date night in will bless your home!
More to come I promise! xo

PS. go check out Andi's dessert date

oh and you can read a little bit about Mr. Goughs new job HERE he hasn't written a ton just yet but he plans too and I can already tell it's going to be good!