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100 Ways to Make Your Marriage Rock


  1. Write him letters
  2. Go on regular date nights
  3. Write his name on lipstick on the bathroom mirror
  4. Revitalize the romance with intimate dates
  5. Pray together
  6. Hide notes in secret places
  7. Go to bed at the same time
  8. Listen to music together-share earbuds
  9. Send him on a scavenger hunt in the house
  10. Buy him gifts he will love
  11. Hide a treat in his glovebox or desk at work
  12. Read the Bible together
  13. Wear shirts that tell the world you love your spouse
  14. Praise your spouse to other people
  15. Let them overhear you
  16. Read a marriage devotional
  17. Porn-proof your home
  18. Be best friends
  19. Sleep in his t-shirts
  20. Look to him to make the big decisions (see comment section for my opinion on #20, #21)
  21. Let her make the small ones
  22. Don’t nag him
  23. Put down the seat, pick up your socks for her
  24. Renew your vows privately with whispers and memories
  25. Renew them publicly with cake and bubbly
  26. Fight naked
  27. Tell him you like him
  28. Receive his compliments
  29. Pick your battles
  30. Show her you love her and tell him you respect him
  31. Go away together at least once a year
  32. Frame your wedding vows
  33. Her: Read For Women Only
  34. Hang pictures of the two of you around your house
  35. Kiss in front of your kids
  36. Make his favorite dessert
  37. Have pictures of just the two of you made
  38. Make sex a priority
  39. Spend time apart occasionally
  40. Learn to enjoy something he loves
  41. Surprise each other
  42. Meet him at the door
  43. Dreamstorm
  44. Text each other from across the room
  45. Be accountable to each other
  46. Set reminders on your phone to remember him/her throughout the week
  47. Call him right now and tell him you appreciate him
  48. Be affectionate
  49. Him: Read For Men Only
  50. Leave work and come home early
  51. Wash, vacuum her car. Keep it full of gas.
  52. Give each other romantic coupons
  53. Engage every day in meaningful conversation
  54. Compliment each other
  55. Touch your spouse several times throughout the day
  56. Take one day a month to make your spouse your total focus
  57. Let each other sleep in
  58. Be spontaneous!
  59. Argue fair: avoid these words “you always” and “you never”
  60. Kiss every day
  61. Find tangible ways to serve your mate without complaining
  62. Forgive quickly
  63. Be honest.
  64. But not hurtful
  65. Get on the same page: plan your budget together
  66. Look your best as often as you can
  67. Guard your marriage
  68. Get out of debt (and stay out)
  69. Laugh together
  70. Have a date night in
  71. When your together-BE TOGETHER (take a break from phones, technology, etc)
  72. Talk about your favorite memories together
  73. Tell him he’s sexy just because
  74. Tell her she’s pretty, especially when she’s not feeling it
  75. Make him breakfast in bed
  76. Do her chores for her
  77. Get a couple’s massage or host your own privately
  78. Read a book out loud together
  79. Dance together-soft music (alone) or rocking music with the kids
  80. Bring her/him a favorite drink during the middle of the day
  81. Exercise together-hikes, bike riding, etc
  82. Choose not to be annoyed by an irritating behavior/disappointment
  83. Tell him a secret he doesn’t know about you
  84. Thank your spouse just because, often
  85. Sit on the same side of a booth at a restaurant
  86. Lay in bed together and stare into each other eyes, without talking
  87. Learn something new together-take an art class, cooking lessons, etc
  88. Leave a sweet comment on the Facebook wall
  89. Teach your kids about marriage
  90. Stop what you’re doing, look them in the eye and listen to their answer
  91. Create art together
  92. Support each other’s goals
  93. Know when to talk and when to hush
  94. Consider counseling (even if there’s not conflict)
  95. Doodle his name
  96. Bring her flowers (even when she says they are too expensive)
  97. Wear something he loves
  98. Share furniture-sit in his lap
  99. Fight for your marriage
  100. Remember your spouse rocks-even when they don’t

Does your spouse rock?  Do you have the shirt to prove it? Get yours here.

*this posts contains a few affiliate links


I Respect Him, He Loves Me {Giveaway}

I  discovered the meaning of troubleshooting the other day.

For hours, I had been knee-deep in printer cords and computer cables, battling a broken modem and a customer service rep, all while trying to print 500 labels with an offline printer.

I was in trouble and I wanted to shoot something.

I’ll be honest: I don’t handle moments like these well. I get frustrated, irritable and whiny.

That’s about the time my  husband walked thru the door. He took one look at the mess (me, not the technology) and went to work.

In less the thirty minutes, he had our Internet back up and everything working perfectly. When he handed me the neat pile of printed labels, I hugged him deeply.

I’m not gonna lie: I was very attracted to him.

He came in from work exhausted from a long day. But he served me because he loves me. It was the single most sexiest moment of the week.

And I simply returned the favor by telling him so. Respecting our hubbies enough to tell them when they bless us is only gonna make him want to love you more.

Today, in honor of Love & Respect, one winner will receive a Union28 Valentine’s package that includes:

  • Women’s “I Respect My Husband” Tee (Fitted or Non-fitted Short Sleeve or Fitted Long Sleeve) pictured above
  • Men’s “I Love My Wife” Tee (V-neck or Crew Neck)
  • 4-pack of “You Rock” Love Notes (blank inside)

Union28 would also like to give a Valentine’s gift to Mercy House: Union28 will give 10% of the sales from all orders received from the WeAreThatFamily community between Thursday, FEB 2 & Saturday, FEB 8th – simply mention “Mercy House” in the comments area during checkout.

To be entered, tell me how you show your spouse love and/or respect.

Get 15% off your order today with this coupon code: U28TFK15

P.S. what’s your favorite shirt??

UPDATED with WINNER – Congratulations to Shaunta (comment 77)


This Is Why I’ll Never Be The Fun Parent

See? I told you. I’m just not a hill-rolling-barely-dodging-dog-poop kind of girl. Ya know?
Who’s the fun parent in your house?


Meant to Be

We lay tangled under a heap of quilts, enjoying the deep contentment of comfortable love.

I can hear his even-breathing, feel the weight of his protective arm. But I’m not sleeping. I keep thinking about the comment he left on a blog, a comment about me. And I think of the love letter that is hidden in the Mr & Mrs Journal I’m giving him. It’s  for his eyes only.

It’s hard not to adore this man who lives counter-cultural to make our dreams come true. Even when the dreams are God-sized and terrifying.

He knows me well enough to figure out the one Christmas gift I’m giving him. He senses when the stress builds and is the first to suggest I step away. He eases my mom guilt, helping in every area.  He is the lover of my soul. A friend like no other. This man.

My husband.

Seventeen Christmas seasons ago I wore white. I walked the aisle towards twinkling Christmas lights in our December wedding, towards my future.

He surprised me with a song on my wedding day. He crooned “Meant to Be” and tears dripped off my chin.

We were so young. We have grown together and I don’t know where he ends and I begin anymore.

Nothing about our marriage is perfect. We have good days and not-so-good days. Yesterday we argued over a computer cord. Today we made up. Ooo la la.

But the 17 years of ups and downs have given us this: today. And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

I smile-wide in the moonlight. He must sense the contentment. Joy.

He pulls me close, hot breath on my neck. I snuggle in deeper and relax against him. I can’t wait for him to read my anniversary love letter. We have a lot to celebrate.

————————

In honor of 17 years (!) Dayspring is offering my readers 50% off any item in their Mr. & Mrs. – Love Collection Set with the code: love50. Nothing screams hot monogamy like a journal you pass back and forth or awesome coupons or cute romantic mugs!


Me & My Best Friend

oh, my. I love this man.

And even better: I like him.

We had a date at Starbucks on Friday night. We pushed two big, comfy chairs together and pretended we were the only people in the room. With a notepad and laptop, we wrote down our dreams.

Not so much our goals, but the visions we’re afraid to give voice to- we wrote those down.

My hubby called it a dreamstorming session. I like that. Because if it had been a brainstorming session, my brain would have told me our dreams are too big, impossible.

People like me don’t do this well-envision things that I can’t figure out or control.

But it felt good to say it out loud to each other.

To write them down.

We sense change coming. It’s scary. It’s exciting.

It’s an opportunity to trust the unseen hand that guides us.

There’s a sweet intimacy that comes when you acknowledge your secret dreams to your best friend.

You should try it sometime.

Source: etsy.com via lannerart on Pinterest

 

P.S.  Two teen boys who badly needed haircuts and belts, showed up with guitars and sang loudly about two feet away from us. Everybody has a dream, some squeakier than others.