29 Truths About a REAL Marriage

The only constant in any marriage is that there is ebb and flow.  As your life and circumstances change, so does your relationship.  What begins as newlywed bliss turns into exhaustion and indifference, children come, jobs change, love strengthens...ebb and flow y'all.  Ebb and Flow.

But for those of us that have been in a marriage for awhile, there's a few other truths that we know.  Stuff no one really talks about.  So today I'm changing all that and I'm going there.  Yep- THERE.

1.  Sometimes you won't like each other.  In fact, at times you'll wonder what the hell you were thinking the day you agreed to marry them.

2.  You will experience fear.  True fear like you've never known.  Basic fear for their safety, fear and worry for the continuation of your marriage, fear for your life together and all you've built.  Fear.  You will finally get what this emotion is all about.

3.  They will have the power to make you more angry than you've ever been in your entire life.  Simply because they know you best.

4.  Some days your heart will be so full of love and ADORATION that you will feel as if you could literally burst apart at the seams.  And yet, yesterday you wanted to snuff them in their sleep.  Weird these feelings.

5.  You WILL wonder if the grass is greener during your down times.  It's just human nature y'all and not something to freak out about.

6.  Life will get boring and that's OK.  You'll have moments in your marriage that may seem boring.  You're steady, things are plugging away nicely, stuff is good....boring but good.

7.  You'll go through a dry spell.  Inevitably every single couple hits a "no sex zone" in their marriage.  For some of us, it's only a month or so and others are locked up tight for years.  As life changes, this is simply a normal side effect.  Hang in there, it will change.

8.  Sex will change.  See...I told you so!  Your intimate relationship is constantly evolving, it's truly a beautiful thing.

9.  You will experience doubt.  Doubt in your marriage, doubt in your spouse, doubt in your own self- yep, lots and lots of doubt for sure.

10.  You will say some really hurtful things to one another.  Good Lord but the words you will say will cut each other deep.  You don't really mean to do it but it happens nonetheless.

11.  Sometimes it IS a fairy tale.  Listen, marriage isn't perfect but when you look back on the life you've created together- you realize perfection isn't the goal.  Fairytales do exist, they might just look a little different than we would assume.

12.  Trust will not always be there.  This doesn't mean you've got a cheater on your hands, it simply means that at times, you will lose trust in each other.  Stupid shit like lying about a shopping spree or having some beers out with the guys.  Yep, trust is hard y'all.

13.  You wonder why no one else talks about how HARD this really is.  Seriously?  Why all the perfect images of marriage?  This business is really difficult and no one is standing up and saying, "this is HARD!"

14.  Forgiveness is rough.  You will learn how to be an amazing forgiver and be in awe at how your partner is able to forgive you as well.  It doesn't always come easy but you will learn how to forgive each other.

15.  You don't just marry your spouse.  We've all heard the saying that you are also marrying their family and yes- this is totally true.  But you also marry their issues, their past relationships, childhood pain, friendship drama etc.  They were people before you met and no one is perfect.  You marry them flaws and all.

16.  There will be late nights where you stay up crying over the possibility that your marriage will end.  Listen- we've ALL had a night or two like this.  But the important part is that you got up the next day determined to try and make it work.

17.  You will become a better person.  Being married means you put your spouse's needs and desires before your own.  You learn about kindness, love, romance, grace, patience....yeah, all the good things that will inevitably turn you into a kind and thoughtful human being.  Love has a way of doing that to people.

18.  Your idea of romance will change.  After years spent building a life together, you realize that romance is not always about big, grand gestures.  But rather, it is found in the little things.

19.  Many days you will feel taken advantage of and under appreciated.  Sometimes we forget to say "thank you" and show our appreciate towards those closest to us.  Especially if they do something for us over and over again- like simply making us dinner or doing the laundry.  Again.

20.  There is not another human being on this earth that you will feel more connected to.  Sharing a real marriage and a real love means that you know everything about your person.  Good, bad and ugly.

21.  You might miss the early years.  Especially if you are knee deep in jobs, children, mortgage payments, stress etc- it is very easy to look back on the "good old days" prior to all of this and wish you could simply step back in time.

22.  You will change.  Both of you will as a matter of fact.  This is just a natural process in life but not only will you change, but THEY will change YOU.  Their thoughts, beliefs, passions, joys, heartaches- it will all have a profound effect on you.

23.  Sometimes you might not be attracted to each other.  We all go through issues with our bodies and our health and there will be days where we are looking all sorts of messed up.  Sometimes these days go on for years.

24.  You will apologize even when you feel you didn't do anything wrong.  In marriage, sometimes we apologize simply so we can move on.  We just have to deal with this and do what is best for our relationship.

25.  Kids will mess your shit up.  No one ever really discusses the changes that happen once you have children.  Your marriage WILL suffer and yet, you are strangely brought together and more in love then ever because you created this amazing little being together.

26.  You will be totally grossed out and still love them anyways.  When we get comfortable with someone we tend to be gross.  Farting, picking our boogers, burping, forgetting to brush our teeth, pooping with the door open- yeah, GROSS.  And yet, you'll still walk through the disgusting poop smelled bathroom to give them a kiss goodbye.

27.  Love is an action, not just a feeling.  You will learn over time that love is WAY more of an action then it is about a feeling.  You choose every day to be with your partner, you choose to be faithful, you choose to love them.

28.  You will get really good at fighting.  Not just disagreements or minor arguments here but FULL ON fighting.  Conflict like you would NOT believe.  But you will learn how to fight fairly and with resolution in mind.

29.  You will grow old together.  Perhaps the most beautiful part of a marriage is simply watching the person you love most as they age.  To be given the gift of aging alongside them is truly special.


Marriage y'all.  It's not for sissies.

Lentil Shepard's Pie

Boy have we come a long way....if you would have told me years ago that I would be making this dish for my family and that they would EAT it and LIKE it, I would have called you a liar.  Because NEVER could I imagine this happening!

This dish is easy to make but it's one of my more time consuming ones.   Typically it takes me roughly an hour to assemble everything and then another 45+ minutes to bake.  But it is totally worth it you guys!  100%!

Lentil Shepard's Pie

Filling:

1 1/2 cups lentils
2 large carrots
2 celery sticks
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
1 cup green beans
1 cup peas
1 potato
2 cups beef broth
1-2 cups milk
heavy cream, optional
salt & pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 cup fresh parsley or 2 tablespoons dried
2 tablespoons flour

Topping:

Mashed Potatoes
salt & pepper

Step One:  Start your lentils on to boil with a 2:1 ratio.  So for 1 1/2 cups of lentils, you'll need at least 3 cups of water.  We like our lentils a little softer so I allow them to boil a little longer and use more water if needed.

Cook your lentils separate! 

Step Two:  Start your potatoes on to boil for your mashed potato topping.  You'll be working on making your mashed potatoes while you're prepping the filling.

Step Three:  Dice your veggies and potato and saute in a little coconut or olive oil.  Add in spices.

Step Four:  Once your veggies are cooked, sprinkle with the flour and cook another minute or so.  You just want to "cook off" the flour flavor.  Now begin adding in your beef broth and milk.  The flour coating the veggies will allow the liquid to thicken up nicely.  Start by adding just one cup of milk and if you find that you need more, then add to it!  You do want it a little "liquidy" because you'll be adding your lentils to this mix and it will firm up as you cook it.

Finish with a little heavy cream if you like.  I typically use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup.

Step Five:  At this point, your lentils should be cooked.  Drain any remaining water and add them to your veggie mixture and turn the burner off.

Finish your mashed potatoes for the topping.  A word on this- I make my mashed potatoes with lots of butter, sour cream and a little milk.  So when making mashed potatoes as a topping (rather than a side dish) I still make them the exact same way.  Do not try to skimp out on delicious buttery mashed potatoes mmkay.  Just don't ok....

Step Six:  Assembly time!  Spray a glass 9 X 13 pan and dump in your veggie mixture.  Evenly layer your mashed potatoes on top and season the top with salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

Assembly Time!  

Bake at 350 for approximately 45 minutes to one hour.  You're really just combining flavors here as everything is already cooked, so just keep an eye on it.  Tip- you'll probably want to put a sheet pan underneath your glass baking dish as this WILL bubble over.  Yum!

Enjoy!!!

So good!

Sheltering Your Children

As the kiddo has gotten older, this topic has come up quite a bit.  Mostly from folks who think we are sheltering our child.  To be fair, they are 100% accurate.  However, we exist in a weird spot because while we most certainly DO shelter him, in many ways- we don't.  I know right?  How does that work?

We want our boy to have a childhood.  In today's society- in order to accomplish this, you have to keep them from certain things.  But we don't want an innocent lamb out for slaughter thrust upon the world.  See- WEIRD SPOT.


So here's how we are handling keeping the boy in boyhood.

• We homeschool.  By far the very biggest factor in sheltering your kids and the one that most folks seem to automatically jump on.  Eh- ok.  I guess I just don't see what the big deal here is...however by not sending him to a traditional public school, he is not privy to many of the issues surrounding children today.  There's no depression, anger management issues, sexual situations, drugs, inappropriate behavior etc.  It just doesn't exist in our homeschool world.
• No drop and run.  We do not and never have dropped our child off and simply left.  Nope.  There are two exceptions to this rule- the local YMCA (where we know the staff and have been going for years and the kiddo is very comfortable) and with a few select family members.  Sorry but not even all the family makes the cut.  We trust pretty much no one with the care of our child.
• We pick and choose his friends.  We prefer that our son hang with children who have parents that believe in many of the same values and morals that we do.  We don't mind "boys being boys" and we truly don't care if you are single parents, on welfare, own BMW's, are immigrates, have different religious beliefs etc.  But parents MUST be active in their child's life and paying attention to what is going on.  You must also be actively striving to teach your child right from wrong and parent from a heartfelt and good place.  In addition to this, we do not allow for sleepovers unless we know the parents and approve.  The kiddo has only ever had sleepovers with two different friends- one of which was his cousin.  So yeah- we simply don't do it.
• Encouragement of toys and childish things.  The kiddo is almost 11 and while many children his age are leaving behind their toys in favor of more "cool" and socially acceptable items, our son still plays Legos, Nerf and the like.  How sad to put away mementos of childhood while you are STILL A CHILD.  Gah, I just can't understand parents who push their children to remove childish things before they are ready.
• We do not allow people to take our kid places.  There are three people on the "exception" list and those being Grammie and Grampie and his Auntie who lives with us.  And then, it's to pre-approved places with a very clear idea of what is going on and when he should be returning.  Otherwise, if he's going to a party- we drive.  If he's been invited to the swimming pool with a friend, we drive.  You get the idea here...we simply don't know what kind of a driver you are and what sort of supervision you're offering once you arrive.
• Very limited access to a computer.  There is one computer in our home and it stays in the living room where we have constant supervision.  Since I use it for work Monday-Friday and it's not turned on during the weekends, the amount of time that the kiddo has to use it is very limited.  Pretty much, it's just for schoolwork.
• No free range TV watching.  The kiddo enjoys TV, what child doesn't?  However he watches pre-approved movies from the library and shows on Netflix and Hulu in our main living room. We do not have cable and everything is run by a parent first.
• No cell phone.  At this point, we simply don't see a need for it.  Sure, the kiddo wants one and he desires to be like many of his friends.  However, this is simply a want.  Once he gets a little older and perhaps away from Mom and Dad just a bit, we will most certainly get him one.  With phone and texting capabilities only mmkay....
• Constant adult supervision.  We are not the type of parents to allow our child to wander from us when out in public.  He stays by our side at all times.  In addition, we do not leave him in the car to run into a store "real quick" or at home for just a few minutes while we run out for milk.  We just don't.  Bad things happen in a split second.  We learned this the hard way and we will never repeat this mistake again.
• We only allow for age appropriate activities and events.  We realize our boy is growing up and would never want to stifle this but there are some things that he's simply too young to participate in.  And just because his friends are going, doesn't mean he will get to as well.
• We restrict the kind of language the kiddo uses. He's at that magical age where swear words are "cool" and many of his peers are using them.  At this point, the worst word he says is crap and even then, whenever I hear it, I tell him to knock that business off.  But it's not just swear words that are on the "no-go" list.  Words that are clearly insults or could be offensive are also not allowed.  A few of them being: stupid, retarded, idiot, shut up- you get the idea here.

On the flip side of this, we believe in raising a strong, independent boy.  It is important that he is street smart, world smart and LIFE smart.  Here's a few ways we do not shelter our child.

• Real world situations are discussed matter of fact and with honesty.  When the kiddo sees something in the outside world or asks a really tough question, we have always done our best to be open, honest and truthful in an age appropriate way.  For example, when he sees the local homeless people or finds needles on the corner of our street- we talk about it.  And when he has struggles with friends or teachers, we address it.  Simple as that.
• Exposure to lots of different people.  We firmly believe that raising a child to have understanding and empathy towards others is crucial.  To do this, we try to expose him to people of all different backgrounds, life circumstances, races, genders, ages etc.  We encourage friendships with children who are different then he is- be it, the neighborhood teenage girl, the sweet boy from Ethiopia or the six year old with autism.  Friendship knows no bounds.
• We swear.  Good Lord but we like the curse words in my house.  While we do our best to be mindful of our language when children are present, I am not going to lose my business if I let a bad word slip.  In addition to this, if we are watching TV or a movie and there's a few swear words, I'm not going to freak out.  The rule in our house is that these are simply "grown up" words and when your grown, you can say them if you choose to.  Until then- not gonna happen boy.
• Adult situations aren't that big of a deal.  Listen, we are not going to hide being a happily married couple from our kid and I don't think you should either!  Giving your child a view of what a happy and REAL marriage looks like is very healthy.  Sure, it might embarrass them to see Mom and Dad kissing all the time but they will grow up feeling all sorts of secure in their family and home life.  In addition, when they begin dating and travelling the road of being a good spouse and partner- knowing about healthy physical intimacy is important.   
• We talk about our bodies and their functions.  Poop talk is BIG in my house.  BIG y'all.  But we also take every opportunity to discuss other bodily functions and place a high importance on knowing your body.  We don't shy away from this sensitive and sometimes embarrassing topic and encourage our boy to be confident in his body.  We aren't embarrassed of our bodies and we teach our child to embrace and understand his own body.
• We listen to inappropriate music.  We have never been the parents that played classical music to the innocent baby in the womb.  Nope.  In fact, the husband used to play Cypress Hill to the kiddo before he was born and it really got that boy MOVIN'!  Music is music and we embrace it all.  As a result, the kiddo has a strong love of metal and rap music with a fondness for a little Weird Al.
• We allow our child to be a part of adult discussions.  Within reason y'all- but yes, we do.  We talk about adult topics like the extremely large water bill that we weren't budgeting for or the family member who said said some hurtful things when they probably shouldn't have.  Yes, we most certainly DO discuss things in front of our kid and then we talk about it with him.  We've found that this gives him a real world understanding of people and social dynamics and of course a firm understanding of how hard people work and what being a grown up really looks like.
•  We do not restrict video game content.  I know this may seem weird but I am really not too concerned with my child playing violent video games.  Why?  Well- he only plays these types of games WITH his Dad for very limited amounts of time.  I'm talking just a couple hours per month at the most.  We just aren't big "gamers" in our house...There's a few on this list that we don't allow, pretty much anything with the title Grand Theft Auto.  But shooter style games or ones that contain some swear words- eh....I'm not too worried.  My kid knows these are pretend and TV's do come with a mute button after all....
• We let him try, fail and succeed.  We do not limit the kiddo when it comes to experiencing, doing and participating.  If there's something he really wants to try or an event he wants to attend, we let him.  We give him the room to move at his own pace be it with his karate lessons and the freedoms to attend a party with friends (with me hanging out nearby) and of course the ability to fail or succeed all on his own.  Contrary to popular belief, sheltering your kid does NOT make you a helicopter parent.  It just doesn't.

Raising children, raising BOYS especially can be tricky in our current world.  Our desire as parents is to give our son a happy childhood and nurture a sweet and funny boy who will someday become a pretty kick-ass man.  We parent with the future goals in mind, always.  And yes, in many ways, we absolutely do shelter him.  We see nothing wrong with this at all and firmly believe that if more parents sheltered their kids, the world would be a much happier place.

Savory Creamy Noodles and Veggies

Hmmm....savory huh?  Yeah buddy!  Sometimes you just get in a MOOD where you want comfort food and nothing else will do.  The more creamy and savory, the better.  This dish was born from that desire to eat something hearty but keeping in mind this Mama's super busy schedule and our Flexitarian diet.  Done in 30 minutes and cooked all in one pot- I'll take it!


Savory Creamy Noodles and Veggies

2 large carrots, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup peas
1 cup green beans
1 package noodles, use spaghetti or fettuccine
6 cups liquid *I use milk, water & chicken broth
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 cup fresh parsley or 1/2 tablespoon dried
salt & pepper to taste


Step 1:  If you have extra time, go ahead and saute your veggies in a little butter.  Otherwise, just dump all your liquid, spices and veggies in a large pot.  I always use frozen peas and frozen green beans because that's what I have on hand.  You can totally use different veggies but I really like this combo together.

For the liquid- I use a about 3 cups of milk, 1 cup of chicken broth and the rest water.  You can use any combination you like but I have found that you'll need to use more milk than chicken broth or water.  The milk is the secret here.

Dump it all in a pot.

Slowly bring to a boil so you don't scald your milk.

Step 2:  When your liquid is boiling, add in your noodles.  I always break them up into small pieces, makes them easier to eat!  This dish works best with long, flat noodles.  For that reason, I use either spaghetti or fettuccine pasta.  Trust me on this one mmkay....

Small pieces mmkay....

As soon as you add in your dry pasta, turn the heat down to low.  You want to slow simmer this goodness.  You want the liquid to just barely cover the pasta and you'll need to watch this.  If you've got your burner turned up too high, your liquid will be all gone before the pasta has finished cooking.  And nobody wants that mmkay...So if you need to add more liquid as it cooks, this is totally ok!  You just don't want this to become more "soup" like.  The goal here is to have the pasta soak up all the yummy liquid.

Just enough liquid to cover.

Step 3:  Oh wait, there is no step 3.  You're done.  Now eat it mmkay....

A few tips here-

• Adjust your seasonings to your taste.  Not everyone likes poultry seasoning and so I recommend starting with a half teaspoon if you're unsure.  But the poultry seasoning really makes this dish, so just go for it alright!
• Switch up your veggies depending on the season.  Psst....frozen veggies are totally cool.  Do what you need to folks and don't feel bad for using the frozen veg if that's what you've got.
• Makes a great side dish or main meal.  If you're meat people, then add in some chicken breast or something.  I suppose you could also serve this along side some pork chops?  But what do I know, I haven't eaten a pork chop in almost 20 years.
• You can easily make this dish vegan by leaving out the milk and of course substituting the chicken broth for veggie broth.  Just use more veggie broth to add to the "hearty-ness" of the dish.

Dude.  How easy is this!?!

At The End of the Day- Traditional Housewife Style

Well goodness y'all- but its been awhile since I posted about being a Traditional Housewife and the running of my home.  Er...sorry about that mmkay...

Never fear!  I'm back and I wanted to share with you what happens at the end of our day.  You can check out this post to read about how I start my day if you're so inclined.  But for now, let's just focus on what happens as the day is winding down.

You may remember me telling you that I work from home during the week.  By 5pm, I officially turn off the work phone.  I used to leave it on later into the evening but seriously- it just made my day that much longer and so now, I give myself and my family this gift.  However, I do leave my online chat up and many times I am working on assembly items long into the evening.  I just refuse to speak to a live person past 5pm because boundaries y'all.  Boundaries!

So work is still looming but not quite that massive.  The kiddo is usually finished with his schoolwork by now and relaxing in his room playing Lego's or watching YouTube video's in the living room.  Depending on what I'm making for dinner, I have either started prep work for dinner or I'm about to get to it.

It's a time of transition, mess and just a little crazy and I call it "The Witching Hour".

The husband works long and often times unpredictable hours, however many times he is able to be home around 6-6:30 each night.  This is my target hour where everything MUST be done and ready to go so that his return from a long day is an pleasant as possible.  Here's a list of my goals for when the husband arrives home-

BWHAHAHA! I couldn't resist!

• All housework is done for the day.
• Everything picked up off the living room floor.
• Laundry done.
• Kiddo quiet, calm and relaxing.  No crazy, screaming children running around.
• Dinner is done and waiting.
• Work finished and shut down.
• Try not to look like a hot mess.
• Kitchen picked up.  Dishwasher ready to start for after dinner.
• Dog fed.
• Lunches packed for next day if needed.

Please know that these are simply my goals.  I strive to reach this point each day and yes, most days I do accomplish this.  I place high importance on creating a calm and relaxing environment for my husband to come home to.  I want our house and our family to be a place that he looks forward to returning to each night.  I want him to feel loved and embraced and know that he was MISSED throughout the day.  

In addition, I want him to walk into a house that smells and feels like home.  Usually it's the smell of dinner cooking but if for some reason he's home early or we are eating out that night, then I've got a nice candle going or my essential oils.  How a house smells is important- trust me on this one mmkay...and yes, I do go out of my way to create a warm and inviting atmosphere.

We do try to eat dinner together but with the husband's schedule, this is not always possible.  If the kiddo and I eat before the husband is home, I will always call him and see if he will be eating dinner later on and then make him a plate.

After dinner, the kiddo likes to watch a TV show or play Lego's with the husband.  Since we bought an antenna for our TV, we can now watch Jeopardy again- one of the kiddo's favorite TV shows!  By 8pm, the kiddo is getting into bed and the grown ups are heading upstairs.  Having quiet, COUPLE TIME is a big priority in my house.  BIG time.

And ladies, this time is very important to my home, my husband and my marriage.  Please don't underestimate this time together.  Recently we started leaving cell phones and Ipads out of the bedroom so that we could focus even more on each other.  We snuggle, watch movies, talk about our day and just enjoy being with each other and having some quiet, grown up MARRIED PEOPLE time.

At bedtime, I will put some essential oils in the diffuser in our master bedroom.  I've found that the Goodnight blend by Eden's Garden is perfection when it comes to helping us fall into a rested and deep sleep.

Evening in our house is all about winding down, relaxing and enjoying being with each other.  Since our days are so busy and full of work, activities, classes and such- it is important for us to have this time together as a family and as a couple.

To end, here's a few other things that I keep in mind-

• Greet the husband properly.  Stop what you're doing (picking up, fixing dinner etc) and EMBRACE your man.  Hug him, kiss him, ask him about his day and WELCOME HIM HOME.
• Do not ask the husband to do any chores or complete any tasks at the end of the day.  Unless it requires immediate attention, I try to save these items for the weekend.  When he's not just worked a 12-15 hour day.
• Always have his favorite drink available.  Most nights, the husband likes to come home and unwind with a whiskey.  Since I do all the shopping, I make sure to keep this available for him.
• No bitching.  Ugh, now this one is hard for me, NO JOKE.  But I simply try not to unload and burden him with a lot of pointless whinging and complaining.  I want to enjoy my time with my man as much as he wants to enjoy his with me.  I've found that attitude is everything.  So just try not to go down this path mmkay...
• Give him some quiet time to unwind.  This is perhaps the most difficult for me and the kiddo simply because we've missed him & we want to be with him and share our day.  However, the husband needs some time to just unwind quietly and by himself at the end of a long day.  I'm working on getting better with this one!
• No running around.  The husband is out on the busy streets driving all day long.  The very last thing that he wants to do when he gets home is to go back out again.  So if there's any errands or things I need done during the day, I make sure to do them BEFORE he gets home.

Alright y'all!  I do hope this glimpse of our evening routine has inspired you just a bit!  Since beginning these things, my home has never run more smoothly.  And my marriage....well, my marriage is PERFECTION.

Affirmations of Love

Today is the first official day to our 14 Days of Love Challenge.  Sometimes starting something is half the battle right!  So today I kept it simple and I wanted to share with all of you how I personally began our challenge this year.

With affirmations.

Say what?!?

AFFIRMATIONS.  

Listen y'all- my man knows how much I love him.  It's no secret and I tell him all the time.  Love is never a doubt.  But does he know how smart I think he is?  How kind and thoughtful?  How I value him and his protection and understand the way he thinks?  Does he know how amazing I think he is for the job he does day in and day out?

AFFIRMATIONS.

Sometimes they aren't really affirmations of love but rather, words of support and encouragement.  I don't always take the time to tell him these things.  Seriously- think about it.  When was the last time you told your spouse how strong and capable you think they are?  How about how smart or kind?  Yeah....that's a hard one for sure.  It's not that we don't feel this way about our loved ones but that we simply don't always share these feelings with them.  I'm sure they know you love them, but what about all the other good stuff?

So yes, this morning before the husband left for work and while I was running around like a crazy busy woman, I took just a few moments to tell my husband how truly wonderful I think he is.  More than just how much I love him, but how AMAZING he is and all that he's capable of doing.  He's such a good man and I am proud of all the great things he does and so I simply told him.

AFFIRMATIONS.

What a blessing for us to begin our morning this way.  It took just a few moments of my day but it made such a big difference.  I could see he walked out the door with more purpose.  He was thankful for me and for my words and I- well....I simply can't tell you how wonderful it feels to lift someone up with words of praise and support.

This challenge doesn't need to be big and flashy.  It doesn't have to even cost you a thing.  It simply needs to be real.  Sometimes the greatest gift we can give someone is just a few words of encouragement and love.

AFFIRMATIONS OF LOVE.

That's all it takes.