Carrie's POV:
I wake up in Mike's arms around 6:30am but decide not to get up just yet because I want to be with him, even if he's asleep. That is the one difficult thing for our relationship: we rarely see each other, but we make it work. It's likely to be this way until he retires which won't be for another couple of years, maybe six or seven. At the end of the day, as long as he's mine and we love each other, we don't need to spend every moment together, but I do enjoy those moments so much. I'm still lying in Mike's arms thinking when I feel him move and I realize it is 8:00am already. His arms are around me and he squeezes tighter and without opening his eyes, he says "Good morning beautiful." And he smiles. "Your eyes are closed, how do you know if I look beautiful in the morning or not? This is the first time you've seen me looking like a monster." And we both laugh. He opens his eyes and looks at me with a confused look. "With or without make-up, hair done or in a bun, sleepy eyes or with mascara, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life. I look at you now and you're more beautiful than most women are on the red carpet. It's no competition between you and them. You have such a natural beauty: it is like God spent extra time with you." I look at Mike and say, "Have I ever told you I love you? I'm so incredibly in love with you it's crazy!" "I get that a lot." And that makes me laugh and he grins. We get out of bed and he gets ready for practice before his game tonight. I'm going to take my parents to his game which determines if the Senators make it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs or not. "All you have to do is win tonight baby and you're in the playoffs right?" "Yeah," he says from the bathroom sink, "but it's not going to be easy." Twenty minutes later he's putting on his shoes about to head out. "Thank you for letting me stay in here with you last night." "Thank you for letting me stay over. And that's why I'm here, to keep you safe. I wish I could hold you in my arms forever." He cups my face with his hands and kisses me so tenderly.
I went to Mike's game with Mama, Daddy, Ivey and Mark and it was so much fun! They went into overtime and won 3-2. They are going to the Playoffs! After the game we all go out for drinks and then head home. Mike is going out to breakfast with us in the morning and then heading back to Ottawa to practice a bit before the playoffs start next week. "I'll miss you so much Mikey! I love you." "I love you too sweetie. But it won't be too long. Only another month and a half if we make it to the finals. Then we'll have the summer to be together. But I will miss you." Just the thought of spending time with him over the summer when he won't have hockey and I won't be on tour is amazing. He left the next afternoon. While he was on the road I did some writing and started recording for the new album Play On. There was this one song idea that Mike helped me come up with called Temporary Home and it was just a beautiful, touching song I had to record it. On our daily talks we'd discuss little things we could tweak in the song or what we like about it and what the video should be like. It was so special that I could share this experience with Mike. Over the past few months he has helped me so much with the album, inspiring me with new ideas or just listening to me sing him some songs. There was one song I decided to keep a secret from him though. I was rerecording Alan Jackson's Look at Me. He loves that song and so do I. But more importantly, it describes exactly how I feel about Mike.
