Unconditional Love (for the most part)

Since getting engaged & married, Kevin & I have had several conversations about how crazy this unconditional love thing is . . . as in, you know not just the good in me, but the bad stuff, too, and somehow you can get past that and still love me.  It's pretty amazing to find someone like that.

Not that it's easy all the time.  Kevin tends to be a bit messy, and I tend to put his shoes in the closet, his keys on the key rack, his hairbrush in the cabinet, etc.  I get annoyed that he leaves crap everywhere.  He gets annoyed that I'm OCD about it.  But we still think the other is pretty awesome overall.

Here's something I've learned, though, in our two short months of marriage.  Even if he loves me unconditionally, if I want to hear "you're beautiful" or "you look so pretty" or some variation on my appearance being appealing, I must shower.

I never thought I'd slide so quickly into, "He loves me, therefore I can look any way I want."  I mean, I always thought women who went from long, flowing hair to a pixie cut a month after the wedding were kind of pulling a bait-and-switch on their men.  Or the friend who said, "Dye your hair to cover the grays until you're married.  Then you can let it go natural."  That seemed wrong, too.  I mean, just because you get hitched doesn't mean you should stop caring about your appearance, right?  Right!

See?  I'm not the only one who goes with the natural look sometimes.

So imagine my shock when, a month into our marriage, Kevin made a comment along the lines of, "You're wearing those sweatpants today . . . again?"

Sigh.

It just happened so easily.  I mean, here I am, no job, no friends nearby, and not much to do.  These capri sweats are super comfy, perfect for sitting around the house doing nothing.

And since we're renting a cheap apartment until we decide where we want to live, I have to carry laundry outside, around the building, and down a flight of stairs to get to the washing machine.  It's not like the capri sweats get dirty while I'm sitting around the apartment reading a book, so why increase the amount of laundry I have to do when I could wear them another day?  Or a third day?  I'm being resourceful.  Right?  Somebody back me up.

And although he never says anything about my ponytails or buns, I'm not stupid.  When I shower and blow out my hair, he says, "You're so pretty!"  When he comes home and sees a messy up-do, I'm sure he still loves me . . . but I can't expect compliments.

I figure things will get better once school starts.  I always shower before going out in public, so he'll have a wife who looks like the woman he dated again.

Until then, I get a few more days in my capri sweats, T's, and ponytails.  Sorry 'bout the bait-and-switch, Babe.  Didn't mean to let it happen, but now that you've seen me like this . . . well, you still love me, right?