Tag Archives: relationships

Two by Two

The other night we went over a friend’s house for a party.  I was wondering where we’d all park, because there are 18 people coming, and I didn’t think many of us would carpool.  “We’re all going to be coming two by two,” I said.  I made myself laugh, but it’s true.  When you run in married circles, people tend to go places two by two. I already covered how I resent the idea that Jon and I are attached at the hip.  The group of friends I saw is the same from quiz night.  Most of us go to … Continue reading →

Navigating Alone Time

How well do you do on your own without your spouse?  I certainly don’t need Jonathan to look after me, and I could support myself without him, but that’s not what I’m talking about.  What I mean is: if there are times that your spouse is away from home from an extended period of time, how do you feel about it? I’ve never liked living alone.  If I wasn’t married, I would prefer having a roommate to living by myself.  I spent the summer before I got married living on my own, and it was unpleasant.  So when Jon goes … Continue reading →

The Importance of Grandparent Relationships

My grandparents got home from Australia this week. They have been serving an LDS mission in Brisbane, Australia over the last two years and we were lucky enough to get the opportunity to pick them up from the airport on Monday. Logan was only two when they left. He frequently talked with them on Skype, but that was his only real memory of them up to this point. He warmed up quickly during the ride home, but what impressed me so much was the fact that the moment they walked off the plane my grandmother was already taking advantage of … Continue reading →

Preparing for the Battle, Gearing Up for the War

When my children were younger, I really thought I knew how I was going to parent them as teenagers. I observed other parents and saw much of what I thought was “wrong.” Sure, I saw some good examples but I was convinced that parenting with strictness was the only way to go. Well let me tell you something, most of what I thought when they were younger has completely gone out the window. And even though my children will probably still tell you that I am “strict,” they have no idea what it could have been. If I had decided … Continue reading →

Disagreements in Parenting

One area that is well-known to be a source of contention for many married couples is the raising of the children. Oftentimes couples come from different types of homes and take from that into their own parenting. If the couple has a completely different idea on how to raise the children, this can cause strife that lasts for years. It can also become part of the reason that a marriage falls apart. Surprisingly, this has not been a huge issue for my husband and me. Despite our vastly different upbringing, we have gone into our parenting with the same mindset. … Continue reading →

The Superhero and the Damsel

Does your man feel like a superhero? Like he can do anything in your eyes? If you think about it, men like to believe they are conquerors. They like to be viewed as someone who can go above and beyond your expectations. They want to be seen as strong, the one who comes to the rescue. My husband does this in a number of ways. He can open any jar, fix just about anything in our house and can find solutions to virtually any problem. If he could don a cape, I think he might. While most men like to … Continue reading →

The Ebb and Flow of Marriage

Like the tides that ebb and flow, so do marriages…seasons and times where things go down but then come back up again. Sometimes these ups and downs are caused by real troubles in life. It could be a job change, sickness, financial difficulties, rebellious children and other family problems. When life is on an even keel then we might feel like our marriage is flowing along smoothly. But there are other times in our marriage when the ebb and flow isn’t caused by obvious life challenges. Sometimes we go through moments in our marriage when we allow feelings to dictate … Continue reading →

The Silence of Relationships

I am beginning to see a disturbing trend in my teens, something that will require diligent effort to change. It is silence. Now you might think that is actually a good thing but it really isn’t…I will explain why. The silence I am talking about is the silence of relationships. Gone are the days of talking on the telephone for hours on end. Friendships have now become more “technologically advanced.” Actually, I think technology hasn’t advanced relationships; it has diminished them in many ways. Let me give you some examples. Take my 12-year-old son whose best friend lives close by. … Continue reading →

Co Parenting And Maintaining Sibling Relationships

It’s hard to be an only child, well, I imagine it is, I have four siblings so I don’t know firsthand. I’ve always felt bad that Hailey didn’t have a houseful of siblings, and then after I got divorced I felt even worse, the poor kid had to go through the divorce alone, no siblings to talk to about how she was feeling. Due to fertility issues I always knew Hailey would be my only child and she knew from a young age that she wouldn’t have any siblings because Mommy’s tummy is broken. Of course that didn’t stop her … Continue reading →

What You Shouldn’t Say to Your Husband

“Woman’s Day” recently published an article about the nine things you should never say to your husband. First on the list was lying about your experience during sexual intimacy. That is a big no-no. The second is to tell them that they are just like their father. The third is asking when they are going to find a new job. The fourth is bringing up how your mother had warned you about something your husband would do. The fifth is telling your husband that you will do it yourself, when it comes to a task or chore…in other words, acting … Continue reading →