Can Your Husband Trust You?

Let me ask you a question…can your husband trust you? I’m not talking about in the sense that you won’t cheat on him. Of course, I hope he can trust you in that way. But I’m talking about the “little” stuff, or the stuff that we categorize as being little. Can your husband trust you with the finances? Do you spend without making sure you have the money? Do you spend even when you know you don’t have the money? Do you hide purchases? These are all ways that might demonstrate you can’t be trusted with the finances. Can your … Continue reading

Secrets of Long Lasting Marriages

I love finding stories of long lasting marriages. Most of them are young marriages but they have to been married young to be able to rack up that many years. One recently was Norm and Ona Leffler. He was 20 and she was 19 when they married. This year they received among their congratulatory messages, one from Queen Elizabeth, one from the Governor General and one from the Prime Minister of Australia. I wonder if Mick and I will ever get to 70 years married. Another couple, Gordon and Roma Adams, first met as children at school. As teenagers it … Continue reading

Men: The Weaker Sex?

Before I begin, I just want to say that, even though the title might suggest otherwise, this article isn’t intended to be a slam against men. Rather, it’s just some reflections on things I’ve seen regarding boyfiends and husbands over the past 10 years during my stint as a stay-at-home wife. Not that I’ve had all sorts of relationships with other men. But I’ve had lots and lots of talks with my women friends. It was when I was living in Jacksonville that I noticed a pattern forming where our husbands were concerned. And ever since I noticed it, I … Continue reading

Are You The Same As You Were Before Marriage?

I only caught Part 2 of the Oprah “Why Men Cheat” controversy, but it’s sparking yet another blog. But instead of discussing why men cheat or how to affair-proof marriage, this time I’m going to talk about something else that was brought up as part of all this: behaving differently once married versus how you behaved prior to marriage. Behaviors During the show, Oprah defended M. Gary Neuman’s assessment that it made sense the husbands strayed because they weren’t getting something from their wives. Not that she was wagging her finger and saying, “Shame on you, you neglectful wives.” Quite … Continue reading

Greatest American Dog: Dancing with the Dogs Episode

I finally had a chance to watch last week’s “Greatest American Dog.” As have the other episodes, it’s sparked some reflection on my behalf. (The gist of which is reflected in the subheads below.) The Good Again, I have yet to watch this show without crying. (Which isn’t entirely unexpected due to my problem.) However, this week it was the people, not the animals, who had me bawling. It started when Bill was talking about being so homesick and Star’s body language mirrored his sadness. It was heart wrenching to hear him say how much he missed his wife and … Continue reading

“The Baby Borrowers” Shows How Children Affect Marriages

As I wrote about in another article discussing reality TV shows, I’m nuts for a lot of them. Another show I’ve been watching with some interest this summer is “The Baby Borrowers”. “It’s not just television, it’s birth control.” I may not have that tagline exactly correct, but it’s close. A quick synopsis in case you haven’t been watching: five sets of teenagers who are ready to become parents have agreed to become guinea pigs. Every three days they’re given a new batch of kids to “parent.” It started out with babies, went to toddlers, then pre-teens, then teens, and … Continue reading

What Love Is: Learning Long Marriage Secrets from Families.com Members

Earlier this year I committed myself to making the best of Marriage in ‘08. I planned to do that by accentuating the positive and examining tools of the trade others used in their marriages. Especially long lasting marriages. I’m still on that mission, but I’ve already learned a lot. And a lot of it has been gleaned right here from other Families.com members. A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That The very first thing I realized was actually the last of the four rules I wrote earlier this year: One Size Doesn’t Fit All. This is … Continue reading

How Much Time Can You Spend with Your Spouse?

Most women will complain that they do not get to spend enough time with their husband. Most of these women have a family to care for and a husband that works overtime. This situation I can relate to. However, every now and then I run across a situation that is a little different. In some cases, the wife is ready for a break. I hear this happening a lot when a couple has a vacation from work at the same time or the husband has been laid off and is staying home. Both partners may be on leave for a … Continue reading

Did You Commit to Marriage Before You Even Were?

I did. I don’t remember exactly how young I was, but I knew early on I wanted to be married. I’m sure tales such as Cinderella had some impact on that notion, but they didn’t necessarily create the notion. It was there beforehand. Society also shaped some of my thoughts about marriage. Helped to define them, but definitely didn’t generate them. Good grief, I cringe thinking about what mixed-up concepts I’d have if I’d relied solely on my first impressions of marriage from society. Bacon See, there were a lot of mixed messages flying around about women’s roles in marriage … Continue reading

The Marriage Blog Week in Review for October 30 – November 4

Last week Karri, Heather, and I bid adieu to October and hello to November. Here’s the articles we accomplished that with: Tuesday, October 30 Seven Things Haunted Houses Can Teach You About Your Spouse Did you know you can learn about your spouse from a haunted house? You can! There are many things you can discern in fact. Wednesday, October 31 “Can a Marriage be Saved?” Karri wondered if marriages in trouble can be saved or if they’re always doomed to experience the Big D. How to Learn More About Your Spouse: Reading Together A marriage that reads together, stays … Continue reading