On the eve of my husband’s and my fifth wedding anniversary, he has been called by his job to spend the week in Austin, Texas.

As a manager of a computer service department at an electronics store, my husband has created many ideas that first grabbed the attention of his store manager and then that of the president of the entire company. So they flew him to Las Vegas on New?Year’s Day to prepare the store down there for the Consumer Electronics Show?(CES), a worldwide exhibition that shows the latest in technological inventions.

After his work around the clock coupled with sleepless nights, we were rewarded with a quick mini vacation after the fact.

So, why not have the same almost nine months later?

My husband is scheduled to be back late Friday evening, and we’ve been discussing what we could do to celebrate the anniversary of our nuptials, since we’ll have a couple days off work together.

As a side note, this is a rarity. Working in retail, my husband works weekends, while I normally pull a Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. shift. Sometimes it’s like living with a roommate rather than a spouse when I’m getting ready for work and he is still asleep, then I come home from work and he’s only halfway through his shift. And sometimes it’s the opposite.

So this coming three-day weekend will be a welcome respite from that routine.

If you’ve read my column before, you know that my husband and I are addicted to traveling. Even if we only have a day, we like to use it to our advantage.

But, after looking at different spots where we could vacation, my husband has almost reluctantly admitted that he might just rather stay home to rest and recuperate after an exhausting work trip.

While that’s totally understandable for most people, it’s almost unheard of with my husband. He is an energetic, on-the-go person who really doesn’t know the meaning of rest. Sure, he gets a good night’s sleep and there are many nights he’s in bed by 9:30. But his waking hours are spent rushing from project to project, whether it’s for work or hobby.

So now, I’m left puzzled as to how to plan our weekend. Perhaps we’ll have dinner at his parents’ house. We could go out for a movie or for a bicycle ride around town — something we haven’t been able to fit into our busy summer thus far.

We’ll likely head to the Kiwanis picnic here in Woodburn on Labor Day, since I’m an active member and I rarely get an opportunity to introduce my husband to my Kiwanis friends (note the conflicting schedules mentioned earlier).

It will be a welcome change of pace.

Now, I wouldn’t say we’re worn out or winding down or getting old. By no means! We’re still young and healthy and, if opportunity were to strike, we’d be on a rocket to the moon in no time.

But amid all the traveling, the hustle and bustle of life, it’s nice to just relax at home once in a while, to soak in the sun (while it still lasts) and to enjoy each other’s company.

Sometimes it’s hard for us to remember that life is a journey, not a destination, that sometimes the best things in life are quiet nights at home curled up with good book or playing a game of cards.

And in the meantime, while I?wait for his return home on Friday, I’ll be busy getting things done — around the house and at work — so I?can give my hard-working husband my undivided attention.

Sometimes it’s hard to prioritize, especially when there are dirty dishes in the sink and dirty clothes in the hamper, but somehow, regardless of what we do, I?know it will be a memorable fifth anniversary.