Marriage Karma

I thought the laws of marriage karma were in play. I do a little something for him, he does a little something for me. Evidently, I was wrong.

You see, last weekend, I encouraged my dearest overworked husband to fly to Atlanta where he met his dad and best friend and went to The Masters' Golf tournament. Now, he's a golf fanatic, so this is on par with a kid getting to go to Disneyland.  The reason this was particularly nice of me, if I do say so myself, was that he owes me a yoga weekend from my birthday a year ago (Oddly enough, it's never a good time for me to go). This golf excursion also meant that he'd miss most of Easter. But I was cool. "Go," I said. "Have a great time."

Just to add a little icing on the cake, we surprised him by picking him up at the LaGuardia so he wouldn't have to take the long train ride home. 

I always assume, foolishly, after he takes a trip such as this, that the following weekend I'll get a little time to myself. Not the whole weekend, mind you. But maybe a sleep-in or a Sunday to go to the movies or get my nails done. Whatever. It's the gesture. 

My Saturday didn't happen. We all had too much going on. But today. Today was sure to be my day, especially since, as I may have mentioned, the kids and I have been together 24/7 for 11 looong days over this past spring break. We've spent enough quality time together to last them a good couple of months. Maybe a year.

But this is how I was greeted at 8:30 this morning: "Are you ever going to want to get up with your kids?" Hmm, the guilt trip/indictment of my commitment to motherhood? Not exactly what I had in mind for moms day off. Didn't he remember the Sunday sleep in? My day at yoga/movie theater/nail salon? Apparently, he didn't get the memo. The golf trip has already been forgotten.

I realized that even with my husband -- who I've been with for something like 14 years -- I have to spell it out. Clearly. (It's a little crazy-making that I need to spell out how marriage karma works after something like 14 years, but I won't get into that.) Next time I make a deal, I'll make sure he knows the terms. I might even get it in writing. 

Would getting a notary be over-the-top?