C and I are happy. We really are.
I love him and I love to make him laugh.
He tells me I'm beautiful every day and tickles my arms each morning.
When we got married my dad gave me some valuable advice.
He said to make a list of everything I love about C and refer to it often.
My list is long.
We hold hands any chance we get, even at home.
We have inside jokes.
He knows things about me that nobody else knows.
I know where he's the most ticklish.
He wraps his arms around me and says "Hi Lovey" every time he comes home from work.
And if there's a good song on Pandora when he gets home from work, he'll take me by the hand and lead me into the living room where we'll dance 1 or 2 songs.
I love marriage advice and I love hearing what works for other people because I think each marriage is entitled to its own personal revelation as to what will work for that marriage, but I also think that we can all learn and grow from each other and each others' marriages.
There are several things that I think contribute to our marriage being so happy and I'm going to share them with you.
1. We read scriptures together each and every morning.
2. We pray out-loud together at least 4 times a day (before scriptures, before he leaves for work, dinner blessing, couples prayers before bedtime and even more if we're at home during the day together).
3. We go to the
temple together every week. (Of course we miss weeks here and there).
4. We protect each other. If somebody says something hurtful about either of us, we stand up and defend our spouse.
5. We play games together.
6. We eat dinner together every night. I don't eat until he's home, no. matter. what. And if we're at a buffet style dinner, we don't eat until both of us have filled our plates and sat down.
7. He opens my door for me every time, no matter what, no matter where we are.
8. We try to do service for each other each day.
9. We don't raise our voices. Not only is love important in our marriage but respect is also important and we respect each other far too much to ever, ever, ever yell at one another. Even when other people would think yelling is justified, and even if it might be, we just don't do it.
9. We have
Family Home Evening every single Monday. Even if we're not home, we take a minute to sing a Hymn, say a prayer and quickly discuss what we have going on that week.
10. We have (at the bare minimum) weekly finance meetings. We go over where each penny was spent that week, where we can save, and where we can do better next week.
11. We talk every single day about our goals for ourselves, for each other, and as a couple.
12. We check in with each other several times during the day. He'll send me a quick text, or I'll shoot him a simple e-mail. But we never go a full day without saying I love you somewhere in there.
13. We have incredible examples in both of our parents' marriages. We try to emulate all of the good things they do in their marriage, because they are rock solid. How many couples do you know that still dance or play DDR together?
These are a few of the things that I feel have really helped our marriage grow, and it starts out each morning with our spiritual breakfast (reading scriptures together). Breakfast, be it spiritual or physical, is indeed the most important meal of the day.
Here's the recipe for my breakfast yesterday:
1/2 an apple
1/2 a banana
1 orange
1 handful of blackberries
1/2 cup of strawberries
1/2 cup of full-fat vanilla yogurt
3 Tbs. of raw rolled oats
Do you have any good marriage tips? I'd LOVE to hear what you and your love do to stay happy!
