Anniversary Post 3

 

I am so excited to finally be posting the conclusion of the Anniversary series; I hope you have enjoyed Post 1 and Post 2 of this series. This final post is definitely my favorite of the three. So go brew yourself a cup of tea or coffee, settle in, and enjoy. And don’t forget to leave a comment—I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Before I begin, I should warn you: some of you may not agree with my first point. I may even lose a few followers over it, and that’s okay, because I wholeheartedly believe in this principle. So without further ado, let’s dive in.

I firmly believe that every word in The Bible carries weight and purpose. In Genesis 2:24 and Ephesians 5:31, Scripture tells us that a husband and wife become one. Our children are incredible gifts from God, and so are the parents we are blessed with—but we are not called to become “one” with them. We are called to become one with our spouse.

As wives and mothers, it can be easy to pour every ounce of energy into our children and leave our husbands with whatever is left at the end of the day—often exhaustion. I truly believe that, in a healthy biblical marriage, the marriage relationship must remain a priority. Before you gasp and close this post, hear me out.

Our children are gifts entrusted to us for a season. One day, they will grow up, leave home, and build families of their own. Long after that season ends, we continue walking through life with our spouse. Too often, marriages begin revolving entirely around the children. Over time, couples stop nurturing their relationship and slowly become more like roommates than partners. Then, when the children leave home, they realize they no longer know how to connect with one another because they never took the time to keep their marriage alive and flourishing.

As a part time working mom, this is something I intentionally try to model for our children from a young age. I remember once sharing this idea with a friend, and she was shocked. She jokingly implied I was prioritizing my husband over my children. Her example was this: she could never bake a cake and ask the children to wait until their father got home before cutting into it because they would feel offended.

But honestly? In our home, my husband doesn’t come home to leftovers and crumbs after everyone else has had their share. Our children know how deeply I love their father, and they actually get excited when he walks through the door and sees the cake waiting for him. To them, it isn’t offensive—it’s respectful. It teaches them to value marriage and to honor the relationship between husband and wife.

From a young age, we remind our children: “One day you will grow up, leave home, and build your own family. Right now, we are building ours.”

hello good looking-

Alright, here’s one that might make some of us a little uncomfortable. I’m sure many of you reading this have children—maybe even several children. How easy is it to get caught up in the laundry, cooking, cleaning, and caring for everyone else that we completely forget about our own appearance?

Men are visual creatures, my friends! Right before your husband comes home from work, put on a little perfume, fix your hair, and maybe even change out of your pajamas. Wait… what? Do some of you really stay in pajamas all day?

Your husband comes home exhausted—give him something to look forward to! Now, does this mean you need to look like you spent two hours getting ready every single day? Absolutely not. Who has time for that? But if it means taking a quick 15-minute nap while the babies are sleeping so you have enough energy at the end of a long day to freshen up a bit, then do it.

Trust me, if he comes home and sees you looking beautiful with that perfume he loves, he’ll probably tell you to go rest for two hours afterward! That’s a win-win situation right there.

Of course, we’re not talking about every single day. But wouldn’t it be wonderful if we put effort into looking nice for our husbands—not just for outings or special occasions? We should desire to impress the man we’re walking through life with, the one sharing this journey beside us.

ideas for date nights-

If you don’t have an option for a sitter, ask friends to swap kids for date nights. You watch theirs while you’re on your date, and they do the same for you when they’d like some time away.

1. Dinner- leave the children out of the conversation. You CANNOT talk about your children on a date night.
2. Ice skating
3. Ice cream
4. Look at old photo albums and reminisce
5. Play games. Please don’t judge or laugh. I probably shouldn’t share this.., alright I will, but you probably won’t let me forget this one. Have you ever heard of Highlights magazine, Hidden Pictures? So when we had about 2 kiddos I’d say, we were such nerds (were and still are). We had just build our home and budget was seriously nothing, so I would print two of the same page for each of us and we would play against each other to see who’d find all the pictures first. It was so much fun, we’d have a blast. I will not tell you if we still do this.
6. Make a message in a bottle or a treasure box with all kinds of cute things and bury it together. Imagine digging that up in 5 or 10 years, how romantic!. Not the digging part of course, the treasure, hehe.:)
7. Enjoy a picnic together. Blanket, basket and all.
8. Go ice-skating
9. Play sports together
10. Workout together
11. Go to a dollar store and do a say $20 dollar budget and shop separately, see who can come up with the most creative gift for the other!
12. Do a scavenger hunt in your home. Each of you make one for the other and see who wins.
13. Go canoeing together
14. Cook together
15. Horseback riding
16. Make notes for each other of the great things you both see in each other. Store yours in one jar and his in another. You know those days where you have to really fight to make your marriage work? Pull out those jars and let these beautiful quotes soften your heart as you read how amazing your husband is and his notes to you, how great you are.
17. Make a list of say 10 things you’d really want your husband to spoil you with. Even if it’s like basics of opening the door or purchasing you your favorite hydrangeas. Then have him write down his 10. When you go on your dates, make it a point to do one of those things. Or even just on regular days with the children present.
18. Write and seal letters to each other. Open them when you really need some encouragement.
19. Go fishing with him
20. Shopping

notes-

In his car, in suit pockets, or his wallet or lunch box. Of course it doesn’t have to be every day, but every so often is awesome. Ask him to do the same! Cutest thing ever when you walk into your car and a sticky note with a Babe, thanks for walking through live with me message from him warms the heart something wonderful (is that even a legit sentence? sounded so romantic.. ish..).

date nights at home-

Ladies, let’s get creative and do dates at home!. Ask him to write down 6 of his absolute favorite dinners, desserts and salads. Say on the first Saturday of the each more you have an at home date night.

• 1) Have an extra fun day with the kids so they are exhausted and in bed early.
• 2) Set the table up with fancy dinnerware that you don’t use on a daily basis. Add a candle, some soft music, and prepare him a three course meal.
• 3) Of course you are dressed in a dress that you know he favors.
• 4) No need to pay for a sitter.
• 5) Relax, kids are right there and you’re not in a hurry to get home.
• 6) If the weather is beautiful, set everything up outside, hang some Christmas lights, go all out ladies.
• 7) “Pretend” you are dating, dress separately, have him come knock on the front door and bring you some flowers (greens from the side of the house is perfect), walk around to the back together, as if you’re on a for real date.
• 8) Ladies, once he has had his three course meal and tummy is a rumbling with pleasure, this is the perfect time to ask for those shoes or purse you’ve had your eye on, knowing most men, he’ll approve both the purse and shoes. (Not that you would set all this up just to do get the shoes and purse, that’d be horrible, oh boy, I feel like I’m digging myself a hole here.)
• 9) Say you prepare his favorite for this home date, next month have him get carry out on his way home and him treat you, or have him cook if he enjoys that.
• 10) Leave the phones somewhere out of reach.
• 11) The topic of kids is out of the conversation, it’s about you and him.

to do list dates-

Not sure whoever started this idea that going out to dinner was oh so romantic or the best part of dating each other. Every time I would search for ideas that was always one of the top ideas. I hope to change that belief, or at least slightly.

So, you know how you have that to-do list of stuff that just needs done by the Mr.? When you are planning a date night, work on those things. Like we just had one of these awesome dates ourselves. We were going to have guests over and a wall needed to be painted. Kiddos went to bed and we had a date night together painting that wall. He painted, I made tea and cake, and fed him, we talked and laughed. We had music playing, and it was fun! You know what was the best part? It was at home, no baby-sitter needed. I was one happy gal because we, together, as a team, were able to cross off that chore on our to-do list. Even if it’s a manly project, like rotating tires.

Girlfriend, go out with him to that car, apply the same concept, bake some cookies, put on music, hold the screwdriver for him, talk, dream and whalaa, tire rotated. Something got done on the list, you had a great time and it wasn’t stuffing yourself and paying $55 for dinner, plus babysitter and nothing to show (okay maybe a tight skirt, hehe). Not isn’t that just a brilliant idea. Takes dating to a whole new level. Only a food blogger would this of this, eyyy?

So go make a list of things you both need done and plan your to do list date night. Even if it’s sitting by him while he calculates invoices, just be present, refilling his cup with a hot beverage. Make copies, file papers for him. Since you’re wise wives and this may be something awkward for him, have him choose which chore he wants to tackle first. Even if it’s not the one you have in mind, go for it. Enjoy.

dreams and goals-

One of the greatest things that keeps a couple going is when they have the same goals. Dream BIG together!. Take time out with your husband and dream where you want to be in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years etc.

• Where do you see yourself financially?
• Where do you see yourself spiritually?
• Where do you see your family?
• What are both of your dreams and biggest desires?
• Where would you like to travel?
• Who would you like to meet and etc.

and build off of these dreams. You know how the saying goes if you reach for the moon and if you miss, you’ll land on a star? Same scenario here. Now you have these goals together and individual ones and you can encourage one another through them. Like for example, let’s take my spiritual goals for as an example.

My “reach for the moon dream” is to one day be a part of organizing Slavic Women’s Conferences. That my friends is shooting for the moon!. I have such a heart for women’s ministry. My husband knows my “moon dreams”, when I approached him about attending a women’s Bible study at a local church he was so for it. He was excited for me because I haven’t landed on my moon yet, but slowly getting into women’s ministry is my landing on a cloud that’s one step closes so to speak.

Then when I have a really lazy day and just don’t want to go study, he pokes fun and say wait a minute, your dreaming so big and you don’t feel like going to Bible study today? Go. And I get my lazy, tired and exhausted self dressed and I go. Then you know what? The whole time I’m there, I’m so grateful he pushes me to go!

dating with a spiritual twist-

Another idea I’d like to offer you is do a date to grow not only together as hubby and wife but as a body of Christ. Have date nights that you really reflect on spiritual growth.

-I can read books every night and it would be the biggest blessing to me. My Mr. doesn’t like books, he’d rather listen or watch. So we watch a sermon together where we are able to pause and discuss the topic, get out our Bibles and tackle the differences we have.

-Fervently pray together for your family, church and friends. I love these prayers, there aren’t like the ones where it’s the basic things. They are the ones when neither is in a hurry and nothing gets missed. When your knees hurt because you’ve been on them so long yet you’re both so satisfied because the Holy Spirit was present without a doubt.

-Put an alarm clock and together wake up in the middle of the night to pray. Disrupting your sleep prayer is powerful my friends. So powerful.

-Read devotions together.

-Help each other grow spiritually. Your husband is your best friend. Ask him what you need to work on, help each other figure out how change can be make and what steps can be taken.

-As he is preparing his sermon (if he’s a preacher), be those hands of Aaron and Hur that helped Moses during the battle of the Amalekites and hold him in prayer so God will send Him a message to give to the church.

-If you have a sitter and are able to get out often, go to your church when no-one is there and pray together there.

-If you like driving, drive on streets and as you drive pass houses and bless the people that reside in them. Pray for others homes. You never know, your blessing or prayer might just be what this desperate family needed.

-Volunteer together somewhere.

-Watch War Room or Fireproof. Get popcorn popping and all.

These are the date nights that are dearest to me and the ones that will leave the biggest impact on our lives and our childrens.

getting to know each other-

Cute little questions you can work off of. Fill these out, add them to your dating journal and answer them. Do another one in one year. See how different your answers are, how much you’ve grown or changes over time. You can tweak the questions to your lifestyle!

Spiritually-

1. What is your favorite book of the Bible and why?
2. What Bible figure do you aspire to most and why?
3. What has God been working on in your heart most lately?
4. What of your spiritual journey would you like to change and how can I help you achieve that change?
5. If you could have been there to see a biblical even unfold, which would it be?
6. If you could ask any Bible character a question, what and whom would it be?
7. What can we do to help further the Kingdom of God?
8. How can we be more active members of our church?
9. What can we change about parenting Godly children in an ungodly world?
10. How can I show grace more to you when you’ve make mistakes?

Other-

1. What about me would you change if you could?
2. Who do you look up to most and why?
3. When do you feel most fulfilled most as a spouse or parent?
4. How can I be an encouragement to you when you need it most?
5. What do you find most attractive about me physically?
6. What are my inward traits that are please you the most?
7. What in our marriage do you think we need to work on most?
8. What can I do to be a better spouse?
9. I enjoy it most when you call me ?
10. What is the best way for you to unwind?

Of course you won’t be able to do every single idea. We are all so different and enjoy different things and different seasons of life the dating will look different. I hope with these ideas however, your mind will start reeling with things you can do as a couple to make your marriage a more enjoyable one. Where you will have a stronger love, intimacy and respect for each other as the years pass. Where your love will deepen and your children will want that for their marriage.

Well, I will be wrapping  up!. I hope you’ve enjoyed this series. I can now breath a sigh of relief.

Share some of your dating ideas?

Fondly,

Valentina+Tim