Little Discoveries

Some of the smartest people I know have said that even after being in a relationship for decades, they still discover new things about their partner.
Despite this, after having been with Carlos for six years I often think about how well I know him.  I let my ego assure me that I know everything there is to know about him, even though logic tells me that I'm crazy and still have much to learn.

Lately, we have been trying to get out and exercise more often (and by more often, I mean at all), and so we take short walks around our neighborhood, or wander over to one of our local parks.  Sometimes I walk with a book (like Ichibod Crane) while he runs ahead, and we meet up at our destination.  Sometimes we walk together in comfortable silence or in deep conversation, depending on the day and the mood.
Each time we go on one of our walks/runs, I think about how familiar the routine has become and how I can predict each of my husband's moves because I know him so well.

I know that it will take him forever to get ready to leave the house as I sit fully suited up with my keys in my hand.
I know that he will procrastinate the moment he transitions from walking to running.
I know that when he finds me again after having pounded the pavement vigorously he will reach for my water bottle (never thinking to bring his own).
I know that when we get home he will procrastinate jumping in the shower and I will nag him not to sit on our furniture all sweaty (!).
All of these things I know.

And yet, just the other day, as we were preparing to leave and I was struggling to bend forward around my protruding belly to tie my tennis shoes, he says to me, "here baby, let me do that."
So he kneels in front of me, taking my foot onto his knee and proceeds to tighten my laces and tie my right shoe.
And as I look down, I realize, shocked, that I never knew that my husband of more than six years, with whom I have spent countless days and nights and discussed every topic from Kim Kardashian to Quantum Physics,
uses the bunny ear method to tie shoes.

Hm.

What do you know?