6 Relationship Ideas...

On Tuesday Mike and I celebrated our two year wedding anniversary.

I'll tell ya what, it keeps getting better and better.

When we were laying in bed that night, Mike asked me,

"You used to tell me I gave you butterflies all the time. Do you still get them?"

I smiled and said, "No, I don't. Sometimes when I'm really excited for you to come

home because I haven't seen you for a while I do. But it's different now. Good different.

 My love for you is deeper than butterflies and surface things. And I love that."

I think a lot of people have unrealistic expectations of marriage, and 

that causes problems because couples become frustrated with each other.

I have to say that Mike and I have a really, really good relationship.

One that I searched my whole life to find.

I want to share with you a few things that have kept the fun in our relationship,

and have brought us closer together. So, here's my tips to you for your relationships:

1. Go to bed at the same time: Life gets so busy. So, so busy... But we've

tried really hard to go to bed every night at the same time. A lot of times I can't fall asleep,

and he's out within seconds, so I take a book to bed and read next to him. There's something

important about that quiet cuddle time, and even when you can't be together all day,

you're able to end your day together.

It helps me remember that we're in this together, and that at the end of the day,

he's the most important thing that my time needs to be invested in.

2. Leave love notes: We bought a little mailbox at target a couple of years ago. 

When the mail tag is up, it means there's a little love inside. Reading how Mike feels about me,

and what he's proud of me for accomplishing gives me a lot of confidence.

It's nice to know how the one you love feels about you. Ya, you know they love you...

but hearing those words of affirmation brings a deeper knowledge.

If a love note is a text...that's great too. Mike texts me throughout the day to see

how I'm doing, and to let me know that he's thinking about me.

3. Hold hands whenever you can: I always get sad when I see couples who don't really

interact with each other. I am a firm believer that it's important to put effort into

your relationship every single day. Physical touch can really bring you closer together...

even when it's as simple as holding hands.

When we're in the car, walking through the grocery store, sitting in church,

you'll always see us holding hands. We did it when we were dating, and there's

no reason that it should change a couple of years later.

4. Create something that's "yours" together: See that picture up there with me in front of a tree?

Ya, that's "our" tree. Mike planted it the day before we got married as a wedding gift to me.

It's grown sooo much, and we go back to it on our anniversary each year.

It's so fun to have something that's only ours, and that we can share with each other.

5. DATE! DATE! DATE! We try our hardest to go on a date a week.

Sometimes it involved staying in and watching a movie, and other times they are more fancy.

One of my favorites was when we met each other in our kitchen and made smore's

in our microwave. Finding new things to do with each other keeps the fun alive!

6. Measure your progression as a couple: I love making lists of things that we've

accomplished as a couple. From buying our first place, to graduating from college together

and seeing specific prayers answered, it's vital to know that your relationship creates good

in your individual life, as well as your life together. Setting goals together and then reaching 

them as a couple gives us things to work towards so we don't feel stagnant.

Do you have any fun ideas to add to the list?

Let me know if you want me to do another one... I've got plenty more where that came from ;)