An old bag- and I don't mean me

When Dan and I got married I was 21 years old.  It seems like forever ago.

I could clean my house and do ALL of our laundry in less than 2 hours.  And I did it always every single saturday morning.  After I slept in.  Then spent all saturday afternoon doing whatever it is that people without children do.

We played yahtzee at night sometimes while watching TV.  And we went out for dinners whenever we felt like it.  Our check book always had a few hundred dollars left over at the end of the week.  And our cars didn't have ground up crackers packed into every crevice.

We were young.

For our honeymoon, we went to the Bahamas.   I know- it still surprises me too.  It was my husbands planning that made it possible, and it was such a beautiful way to celebrate our marriage.  We stayed in an ocean front hotel, ate dinner at strange little places downtown, layed on the beach, played in the pool, ate beautiful breakfasts outside and did other honeymooner things that I don't care to discuss. 

We also visited the straw market. 

I was chased by more than one person carrying beautiful necklaces and bracelets while shouting "Hey Pretty Lady".  One man insisted on giving me a flower.  He wouldn't stop.  I finally thought how sweet it was and took his flower- he immediately turned to Dan for cash payment.  It cracked me up. We were literally just shopping around for whatever struck our fancy and enjoying seeing all the items offered in the market.

I found a straw woven bag in one store, and I wanted it to put all of the small items we were picking up in.  I thought it was pretty.  But the price was too high (I don't remember what it was).  So I changed my mind and eventually the shop owner offered it for a lower price and we bought it.

I didn't really think a thing about it, except that it was pretty and I loved it and Dan bought it for me.

Over the course of our marriage, this bag has become my constant go to.  If we are planning a day at an amusement park, heading to the museum, going on vacation- I typically grab this bag.  No particular reason- it's just a good size and the straps are long and it's pretty.

Yesterday I went on a field trip with Sam's class to the zoo.  So of course I stuffed my bag with frozen capri suns, crackers, chapstick and bandaides and headed to the school.  On the bus ride, I looked down and noticed my bag.  And instantly I was transported back to the bahamas with my new husband- our whole lives in front of us.  Neither one of us knowhing what could possibly be in store for us.

And I smiled.

We've had a nice life so far.  I can't wait to see what uses this bag will hold for us in the future.