ROMANCE IN A BLACK CHIFFON DRESS

It was just another Sunday afternoon in the Jaffe household and we were getting the babies - Sarah, age two, and Elana - age six months, ready for an outing to a nearby playground and ice cream shop. Then inspiration struck me and I excused myself to our bedroom for a few moments. My husband sought me out after a half hour, wondering where I had gone off to. He found me dressed to the nines, in my most elegant black chiffon dress, silk stockings, gold jewelry, and makeup. Stephen hadn't seen me dressed like this in about three years. I hadn't seen me dressed like this in that many years - after two pregnancies back to back, and working comfortably out of the house in T-shirt and sweats most of the time, I barely recognized myself. My husband's eyes registered more shock than delight, and the accountant in him took over: "Dear, that isn't very practical for the playground, is it?" I grinned, and said, "That's the point, dear. This is just for you. He shook his head in disbelief, simultaneously thinking, "Boy, did I marry a piece of work," and "Boy, am I lucky!" And then he changed his T-shirt from the well-worn version he usually wears around the house, to a new cotton shirt that showed off his muscular body. (If you want to keep the romance alive in your marriage, one of you has to take the lead.)

I spent the day in my elegant attire, looking decidedly out of place at the playground, and not caring one bit. As we walked with the babies through the surrounding neighborhood, chiffon blowing against my legs made me feel five years younger, and more enchanting and playful than I've felt in a very long time. Though most of the time I relish working out of my house in casual dress, at times I am tempted to don one of the suits hanging in my closet, normally reserved for professional meetings and speaking engagements. Some home-based professionals will tell you that one of the secrets to their self-discipline and productivity is dressing for the home-office in the same manner they used to dress for their corporate job. The great thing about working from home is that you have a choice. "Casual Fridays", the increasingly popular trend in corporate America demonstrates our desire to relax our professional dress from time to time. The problem for many of us who are married and parents is that we relax too much with our spouses, becoming too lethargic to take the special effort required for looking beautiful, and too comfortable in our routines.

Breaking out of the box isn't hard, really. Cupid inspires us frequently with creative ideas for stoking the flames of romance between ourselves and our partners. But we usually dismiss those thoughts as foolish, or impractical, or taking too much effort, or any number of excuses we tell ourselves - splashing cold water on the spark before it even has a chance to ignite. And what opportunities we miss. My husband will probably remember for years to come "the day she put on a black chiffon dress to go to the playground - just for me." It didn't cost us a dime, and it only took me a few extra minutes.

So here's my challenge to you. If congress proclaimed today a national holiday - "Keep the romance alive in your marriage day," how would you celebrate it? Do you have a version of a black chiffon dress it's time to take out of the closet? What can you do to surprise, titillate, cherish, or allure your partner, without spending much money, or taking too much precious time away from the demands of your work day? Do it now - you've got nothing to lose but boredom and the same old routine!

Created by Gray's Internet Consulting, Austin, Texas