Lights out at 10 on Friday nights

The last time I was asleep at 10 p.m. on consecutive Friday nights was in the Ronald Reagan era. Gas prices were below a buck, Grand Junction wasn't half the city it is today, I was a know-it-all rebelling against my parents and teachers and, of course, I knew everything.

I should add that the I was probably grounded, which would explain the in bed at 10 p.m. thing way back then.

Having a pregnant wife changes everything, especially the nightlife. Before I met Kelley, I was intertwined with the greatest group of friends a guy could ask for. It seemed no matter what I was doing or where I was doing it, I was always surrounded by the same group of friends and the nights would last forever.

I met Kelley Lin when she took the mic for the all-girl band Riveter, which also included good friends Robin and Laurena. Robin is married to Bill, who has his own band — The Wrong Impressions — and Laurena is married to Scott who fronts Exit 42. I was groupie for all of these bands before I met and fell head over heels in love with Kelley, and before I knew it, I was married to a rockstar who was in a band with some of my closest friends and incredible musicians.

With gigs here, there and everywhere, we all spent a lot of time together. Traveling to shows, spending weekends in different towns and the countless nights we always seemed to end up in Bill and Robin's backyard. These were truly epic adventures.

However, things do change.

Once we found out Kelley was pregnant, everything changed. After many long conversations, Kelley and I were well aware that at some point, her time in the band would have to be put on hold. Music is a lot of who Kelley is. She needs it like we need air to survive. With that said, music will always be there and she will find her way back to it someday and when she does I will once again be in the front row with Baby Husband in tow.

Once the band retired it's guitars, hooker boots and fishnet stockings, Kelley and I, for the most part, also retired our nightlife which, up to that point, produced a lifetime of memories in a short time. However, it's not as though we are barricading ourselves inside our house. We just decided that we wouldn't do the bar scene and late nights, which, unfortunately means missing out on nights like last night when Bill and Scott's new band — M80s — played. And this also meant missing time with our great friends. Of course we will no doubt spend plenty of other great times with our friends, but those nights with our friends on stage performing music is something special. Missing that is tough for both of us.

Because Kelley is usually passed out with the lights and TV on in our bedroom well before 10 p.m., it makes it easier for her to not want to do anything except rest. For me, you would think it's tough stay home knowing my wife is asleep, but I don't and will never be that guy. There will be times when I can and will go out, but for the most part, I want to be there for Kelley even when she's sacked out. Call me crazy, but it just feels like the right thing to do. Besides, it gives me total freedom in my man cave to watch sports and truly appreciate the fact that just in other room, my son or daughter is growing inside my wife.

Although we are now missing out on what are no doubt good times with our great friends, it's OK because Kelley and I have something so much better and more important going on inside that beautiful belly of hers. Once Baby Husband arrives, we can start to slowly get back into the groove with our friends.