Friday Family Matter's.....

What does it take to make your marriage happy?
After reading some blog's from a group of women and men who featured this question, it kinda made me think it would be a great topic for Family Matter Fridays!
There were so many answers and comments that people came up with, it was so interesting to read the idea's that were voiced. The cutest ones were the young couple's that have been married for like 3 or 4 years and just starting thier families. The common theme for them was to "write little notes to eachother and remember to take time with eachother." There strategies were simple but very realistic. It shouldn't take money, magic or miracles to make your marriage work. The younger you realize that the better!
Don't get me wrong my friends..marriage is work and a full time job. In order to be happy it takes commitment, determination and dedication. It should of course come naturally..I mean you do have to love the person you're with, right? So, it makes sense that you'd want to make your partner happy, encourage them to pursue their dreams and always stand beside them...with a cup of coffee!
For me...the success in my marriage has been a very simple thing that anyone can do or say..."Thank you". Two little words that can totally change the course of any event in my house hold. I love to be acknowledged and I love to acknowledge my husband. He needs to know that I am thankful for all he does. He is wonderful, I am lucky and its ok to let him know that!
On Wednesday afternoon, I had asked Paul to come out with me to a couple stores because I needed his advice on a couple things. Paul informed me that he had something else that he wanted to do, and said he really didn't want to come out to the stores with me. I begged...pathetically, and insisted that he came with me. Begrudgenly he came with me, and it ended up being a very nice, successful afternoon. Paul did come around and was glad that he came out to help me. After we got home, I knew that I owed Paul a big thanks for putting my needs first. So, without hesitation I leaned in gave Paul a kiss and thanked him for not being selfish and helping me out. SO something that went from being a semi-disappointing afternoon for Paul...turned into a feeling of love and togetherness. We all have these moments in our marriages, but over time I have learned that we are individuals with different feelings, personalities and wants and needs. But when one of us puts the others needs infront of our own...that deserves recognition. I think that is what's important in a marriage.
When I asked Paul today what he felt was the success to a good marriage he simple stated.."our drives". I hadn't realized how much he loves our time alone in the car, driving to other small towns, grabbing a tea/coffee and taking off to look at land and houses. We have been doing this since our children were little, we would pack them up, put a movie on in the van and the kids would put their headsets on and we could talk. He also said making time to spend with one another. We don't need alot of time alone together, I mean its hard enough to get the kids to spend time with us, but we do enjoy our morning coffees or our after dinner glass of wine.
We all have our tricks to a happy marriage, I suppose the most common request amongst married couples is "communication and time together". We get so caught up in our busy lives, grow apart and forget the reason's we married. The hard part is not letting it come between us, when you feel like you are being pulled in different directions...stop what you are doing and hold on tight, life is more fun when its with the one you love!