Mark and I can definitely argue. He’s an attorney by trade, and I’m half Italian! When we argue with our husbands, there is a point at which we cross a line and toxic words push an argument to a fight. We usually go to these statements as a defense mechanism. For example, you’re in the argument and you feel like you’re losing. You don’t want to lose so you resort to one of these statements. Or you’re just furious and…
A better question is what in the world is a soulmate? Maybe you can’t tell it, but I am so annoyed with this fictional excuse to leave your spouse! Somehow, using the word “soul” provides an excuse for some people to do whatever they want—justifying their decision as if it were for some higher purpose. “I found my soulmate.” Spoken as if there can be no argument with their conclusion because it is mystical or spiritual. I will be very…
Years ago, Mark and I were having a pretty serious argument. We were both very frustrated. I could tell Mark was getting discouraged as he realized that we were not going to resolve things quickly. So I said, “You know what, honey, we’re in this marriage for life and we will work this out, even if it takes a while.” Taking the long view is one of the truths about marriage. That’s why in our new books, Lists to Love…
What in the world do I mean when I say “love code”? It’s a kind of code that forms from observations you made growing up. The code can be influenced by your parent’s marriage or another relationship you admired throughout your childhood. What you observed can subconsciously – or perhaps consciously – influence how you relate to your husband or children. When Mark and I got married we brought very different love codes into our new life together. In my Irish,…
Can a bad attitude really kill your marriage? Yes! Attitude affects the way we communicate with our husband; so if our attitude toward him is negative, that’s how we’ll sound when we’re talking with him. Mark and I work together every day which makes having a loving attitude really hard. One day when I was out with our daughter Emily running errands, I called Mark from the car. He answered the phone with, “Ya, what do you need?” Well, I…
Are you different from your husband? Mark and I are opposites and it can be a point of contention. I often crave the marriage compatibility I observe in other couples. If you are like us, it’s easy to feel frustrated and want your spouse to be more like you. However, that might defeat the point of two people coming together in marriage as one. Tony Evans puts it like this, “Of course you are different from your spouse. If both of you were…
I have an awesome new marriage printable to share with you that will help make your relationship with your husband stronger and more loving. It’s the Lists to Love By 30 Day Marriage Challenge. The printable was inspired by our Lists to Love By, Simple Steps to the Marriage You Want books (there is one for wives and one for husbands). We have been so encouraged by the feedback about how the simple actions and short chapters are making it easier…