I missed you?

I really like to miss Aaron. It sounds horrible, but I enjoy missing him. I like wondering what he's doing, when I'm going to see him, and curious if he misses me. Being that both Aaron and I travel, a lot, separately (me for work, him for racing) we get plenty of opportunity to miss each other.

We always say "I miss you." Probably even more than we say "I love you." We work opposite schedules so the crux of the time we spend together is on the weekend. During the week days, we pretty much only have a few moments to ask about our day, have our exchanges about the animals, and every so often (if all the stars align) share a meal together. So throughout the work day we will text each other, often. Mostly it's just gossip, or short exchanges, but normally at least one text simply says "I miss you." Let me tell you, as good as it is to miss the one you love, it's an even better feeling to know you're being missed.

It all started when Aaron and I were first dating. I was very guarded in my emotions and, to some extent, still am. The first morning we ever woke up together, in our shared home, I looked at Aaron with the sleep still in my eyes and I said, "I missed you." He looked back at me perplexed and a bit amused, "You missed me? How? I was right here with you all night." Utterly confused as to how I would have let something so vulnerable slip, so easily, out of my mouth, I decided to concede, "I missed you when I was asleep." Silent for a moment Aaron said, "I missed you too, Baby."

That was almost two years ago.

A few days ago, I came down stairs for coffee; Aaron had just awoken a few minutes earlier and was preparing breakfast. As I descended the stairs Bing slipped past me rounding the corner into the kitchen to see his Daddy.

"Hiiii Bing! Good Morning, Buddy!!!" Aaron said with his back to the door I was about to enter. He was crouching down to pick up our tiny puppy who was kissing Aaron's face, "I missed you Bing, I missed you!"

It's amazing how two people, previous strangers, can become a family.