Marriage Retreat???

Well, we just returned from a "Marriage Retreat" in Colorado that the army paid us to go to. After a deployment, they like there soldier and wife to come and be taught how to communicate with there each other. Ashton says it wasn't really a "Retreat" because they made us get up at 7 in the morning for breakfast, and classes started at 8am. We would sit through classes all day. They really actually did a good job teaching us how to communicate more effectively with one another, and had us practice. Ashton and I actually talked about more than just Aspen, school and Work. We actually were able to discuss things we would like to accomplish, and things to needed to get done that usually when we talk about at home we fight about. We had to use the speaker/listener technique, and as silly as it seemed, (And as much as we laughed about it) it actually did work to keep us from arguing.

The best part of the retreat for me was that they made us have "Mandatory date night" the rules were that you couldn't discuss everyday things, like kids, or problems, or things needing done. We were supposed to think of something creative and fun to do and just enjoy being a couple like before we got married. We haven't had a date like that seriously since before we got married. So I loved the idea. Though it was REALLY hard for me to not talk about Aspen. I missed her! She stayed at my friend Michelle Nilson's and was sick, so I felt bad.

Ashton and his friends Jim and Maggie and I all went together on our date. We all dressed up formally and went to the cheesecake factory to eat dinner. It was SOO yummy! I was sad I was too full to eat the cheesecake. Afterwards, we changed and went to an arcade place where we played lots of arcade games, and won tickets (It was a HUGE arcade place - can't remember the name. Dave and something...) we bought Aspen a present to bring home with our tickets, (A stuffed animal) even though we didn't talk about her : 0 ) It was 1 in the morning when we went back to the hotel. Now, I KNOW I haven't stayed out that late since before we got married. It was really a fun time.

The part Ashton liked the best was the Cadillac we rented for the day. He said it was a "Smooth drive and drives like a truck" it had a V8 engine, and a thing in the car that told us directions where to go, and satalite radio...it was a pretty cool car. Even if it did look like a grandpa car. He really wants a Caddi now. Ha. Of course I liked the romantic part, and he liked the car...that's just how it goes!

We are home now, and glad to be back with Aspen, who of course just wanted her dad and not her mom! But we are commmunicating better actually...which is great and weird to me! Things are lookin good here!