Smells like...

I think my favorite sense is the sense of smell.  I know it's unusual to even have a favorite sense, but so many of my memories are triggered by smells. 

Ryan bought me a candle for Mother's Day.  Not just any candle though, a Votivo candle.  They are the best candles ever.  I've only had one Votivo candle the whole time we've been married because they cost as much as a few packs of diapers.  I can't justify spending that kind of money on scented wax.  Since it was a Mother's Day gift, I made an exception.  I first smelled that candle at one of my bridal showers six years ago.  Everyone went on and on about how great that candle was, and my mom bought me one soon afterward.  It didn't last long because I kept it lit all the time.  When Ryan bought me this most recent one, I promised myself I'd only light it every once in awhile.  I find myself picking up the unlit jar and smelling it several times throughout the day.  Today, I reached an all-time low though...I was smelling my candle for the 1000th time and I heard myself say (very seductively, might I add), "Ahhh, I love you so much."  It was then that I realized that perhaps I'd taken this love affair a tad too far.  I had to ask myself why I love this candle so much.  My answer was easy, it reminds me of Ryan.  I know that sounds weird, but it reminds me of our first few months of marriage.  It reminds me of eating off our wedding china and writing sweet little notes to each other.  It reminds me of being so excited for him to come home from work and watching TV together with no interruptions.  It reminds me of us seeing the positive sign on the pregnancy test when we found out we were expecting Mary Carolyne.  It reminds me of a clean house that was always calm and quiet.  With this "second candle", the smell takes on a new meaning to me.  It now will remind me of celebrating Mother's Day as a momma of four sweet girls.  It will remind me of a house that is no longer clean and quiet, but filled with laughter from the girls as they play dress-up or hide and seek.  It will remind me of watching Allison quickly turn into a teenager (YIKES!!!) and Mary Carolyne and Laurie trying so hard to be just like her.  It will remind me of holding my sweet Anne Claire into the wee hours of the morning because I just don't want to put her down.  It will remind me of Ryan and I not getting watch a show in it's entirety without someone coming in for "one more kiss".  I think I like this "second candle" a lot better.