Love + marriage.
As the song says, they go together like horse and carriage, and you can't have one without the other. That last part is tough, since the horse often hits a few spots where he makes the air, well, unpleasant. Injecting a regular dose of sweet-smelling romance will make the ride more enjoyable.
But how? It's a question I've asked myself a million times over the last six months. I keep coming back to a central idea: remembering why you first fell in love is a simple way to spark some romance, but find new reasons daily why you're still in love and those fires will stay ablaze.
The hustle of life makes that an idea easier said than done. Life with a newborn is complicated; add a career {or three} and the
various tasks of life, and it's all too easy to shove the romance factor
to the bottom of the list. If your life is as hectic as mine, even kind words spoken are quickly forgotten among reminders of trash day, laundry duty and deciding who will change that dirty diaper.
I wanted my husband to have more than some fleeting words to remember how much I love and appreciate the place he holds in my life. So, I set out on the ambitious goal of finding {and sharing} 900 reasons why I love him- a task easily accomplished by noting 5 reasons daily between now and our anniversary.
Each night, I leave a new note on his pillow for him to find. I compiled dozens of scrap paper pieces I've collected over many years of scrapbooking and leave them in my night stand {along with a pen} for easy access.
After he reads it, I compile each note into the little journal I created for exactly this purpose. {Make your own journal with the free tutorial -coming soon- or order your own handmade item!} The journal itself will be an anniversary present come November - each page holds the note from each day and a picture; sometimes the photo is from that specific day, and other days have a picture from something we've done in the past.
Despite our daily balancing act as new parents, this one simple exercise helps strengthen our bond and focus our minds on what's really important.
What tricks do you use to strengthen the relationships in your life? Share your story in the comments below and inspire others with your ideas!