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Was it Bad Parenting or Making Memories?
A few years ago, we watched as our daughter, Taryn, spent an exorbitant amount of money on a Halloween costume. When asked why, she said that we had ruined every Halloween by having her be creative and come up with a costume, rather than getting a store-bought one. Upon reflection, we wondered, was it bad parenting or making memories? Thanksgiving: When Taryn was five, she was watching Sesame Street as Chris and I were in the kitchen preparing Thanksgiving dinner. She walked in the kitchen just as Chris was pulling the turkey out of the oven to baste. He said, “Wow, that’s a big bird.” When we turned around, Taryn’s eyes were full of tears…
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You Don’t Bring Me Flowers 💐
There’s an old Barbara Streisand / Neil Diamond song “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers” that sometimes hops to mind when we’re in a rough patch or we see other couples we know in a rough spot. Who would know how much a simple gift can impact your relationship as a couple? But beware! Even bringing flowers home can be more complicated than you’d expect.
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Time with Friends
Julie I just got back from spending time with friends on a long “girls’ weekend.” I’ve known these amazing women for almost 40 years, significantly longer than I’ve known John. We had a fantastic time together in Florida reminiscing about those early years together in college as well as catching up with what’s currently happening in our lives. There is something so indescribably comforting about being with people who knew you when, who suspend all judgment, and who are more like sisters than friends. We really enjoyed being able to rekindle and renew our friendships in person, especially after these past few pandemic-dominated years.
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Choose Your Hard
“Marriage is hard. Divorce is hard. Choose your hard. Obesity is hard. Being fit is hard. Choose your hard. Being in debt is hard. Being financially disciplined is hard. Choose your hard. Communication is hard. Not communicating is hard. Choose your hard. Life will never be easy. It will always be hard. But we can choose our hard. Choose wisely.” – Unknown Marriage Enrichment? Really? Is your marriage one of the most important gifts you have? If a friend told you, “My wife and I went to a marriage class,” would you say, ‘Oh no. Are you two having trouble?’ Or, would you say ‘How was it? We’ve been wanting to do something like…
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Rewind
Michelle: I find it interesting to hear people say that we are coming out of COVID. Sure, the numbers are down, hospitals are seeing fewer deaths and having more open beds. But, for some of us, we would rather play a game we have created called Rewind. Chris: To understand our game, we need to share why it was created and to explain why it was created, we need to tell you about my brother. David, my brother from another mother was my partner in crime and the guy who was all in! He would give you the shirt off his back or go out in the middle of the night/wee hours…
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Ugh, Mom and Dad, no PDA! 🤢 (Repost)
Nick: Call it a “sixth sense,” but I can tell when my kids’ eyes are on Jen and me. I can practically hear their eyes rolling whenever we touch each other.
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Celebrate Good Times – Come On!
Julie: It’s been a party kind of month! First, we celebrated my dad’s 85th birthday, and then the following weekend, we celebrated John’s parents’ 60th wedding anniversary. Those are impressive numbers! This got us thinking about what life might be like for us if we are fortunate enough to celebrate these milestones in our own lives.
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Happy Labor Day!
From The Couples Post family to yours, have a safe and memorable Labor Day!
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Making Up is Hard to Do
If you’re married, you’ve experienced conflict with your spouse. It’s inevitable in any relationship. Usually, this happens unintentionally – often over the littlest things. Most conflicts are a result of unmet expectations: I expected “this”, but “that” happened. One, or both of us, ends up feeling disrespected or hurt. Tensions Are Triggers Janine: Years ago, we were expecting company, and I was scurrying around tidying up. Ken asked what he could do to help so I asked him to put away the clean dishes. I then continued dashing around in panic mode because, after all, if the house is a mess our friends might think less of us (especially ME.) 😨 A few minutes went…
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Will It Matter Tomorrow?
Will it matter tomorrow . . . if the avocados were too firm to slice for salad tonight? Will it matter tomorrow if the dishwasher wasn’t loaded the way you load it? What if a favorite cotton sweater got dried on high heat with the bath towels? Will it matter tomorrow?
