When I first seriously thought about writing for the Marriage blog, a topic that essentially breaks down into being about love and relationships, my initial reaction was “Eugh!” So then what am I doing here? Upon deeper examination, I realized that my reaction was not to writing about marriage and love itself, but to the forms in which that usually occurs. I don’t really go for lovey-dovey type stuff, and in many ways my husband and I have a somewhat nontraditional, or at least a different, relationship (though in many other ways we’re very traditional). I’m so passionate on this … Continue reading →

We all know couples who have gone in for counseling before they get married to help them get their marriages off on the right foot. This kind of preparation is awesome. What we might not realize, though, is that we are actually preparing for marriage from the time we’re born. When we’re toddlers and small children, we internalize how our parents treat us. As we get older, we notice how they treat each other. These examples become our first and most impacting lessons in what constitutes a home and a family. If we were raised in an unloving home, we … Continue reading →

It’s time for me to get a little soft and sentimental … you know what, I really love my husband. I really, really, love him. I love the dimple in his cheek and I love his bright smile and I love the little indentation in his shoulder that’s at just the right height for my head when I’m standing next to him and want to snuggle. I love his laugh and I love his kindness. I just love him. But it goes beyond thinking he’s cute (which I do) or admiring his muscles (which I do). I respect him. My … Continue reading →

I remember back to when I was about eleven, making a list of all the things I wanted in a husband. I’d been taught that if you write your goals down, they were more likely to come true, so why not set a goal about the kind of guy I wanted to marry? Some of the things on my list were practical, and some weren’t. I had a major crush on Pierce Brosnan at the time (still do, if you want to know the truth) and I decided that I was going to marry someone with dark hair and blue … Continue reading →

“If my husband ever cheated on me, that would be the end of it.” “He ever hits me, and he’s on the sidewalk with divorce papers in his hand.” I often hear women make comments like these, and I completely agree that infidelity and abuse have no place whatsoever in a marriage. If these elements have come into your relationship, they should be rooted out immediately. However, I then wonder, is there a boundary between what does and does not entitle a person to stay married? Is there a line that, once you’ve crossed it, you must get a divorce? … Continue reading →

Some people think in this day and age the way to be correct and careful of not offending is to call all women Ms. That is the quickest way to get me off side. I’m a Mrs. and I’m proud of it. The other day I received a letter addressed to Ms and I bristled. I don’t think we should make the assumption all women prefer this term. Some of us certainly don’t. Many of my friends object to this supposedly generic term. The reality is we are married and we are proud to be married, so why all this … Continue reading →