Marriage is hard. If you’re married, or have been, I’m sure I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. Once the honeymoon period of your union has passed the pressure is on to keep your relationship interesting. It’s not easy but it’s necessary, because a stale marriage is a lot like a good bottle of wine that’s been left open for days – lifeless, dull and slightly bitter. And before you know it, you’re off in some bar looking for a more robust wine. One that’s slightly intense and vigorous. Big and full-bodied. Possibly Italian…
Right, marriage.
When my husband and I started our courtship there was a lot of flirting involved. It was an office romance so there were many opportunities for long looks across a crowded cafeteria and inter-office emails. Since then we’ve married, taken challenging jobs, had kids and basically put most of that flirting on the back burner for a day when we’re both not as tired and busy. Yeah. That day never comes, does it?
So we need to purposefully work romance into our day, or at the very least something that surprises the other person. We’re not always so good at actively doing this (read: job, kids, OMG when was the last time I slept?) but I’ve found if I look hard enough there are things my husband does that still surprise or delight me.
Case in point, the most ridiculously silly thing ever:
It’s a toilet paper roll.
(No really, Tania? REALLY?)
When it comes to toilet paper I prefer mine rolled over. I’m kind of adamant about it. It just makes sense, amirite? That’s the way the toilet paper is supposed to be. But almost every day I go into the bathroom the dang roll will be turned under. So I turn it back. And the next day it’s turned over again. At first this frustrated me, but now? I have to admit I’m kind of tickled by it. I look forward to seeing if the roll has been moved. Weird, I know.
But the thing is – and for the record, I’m not even sure my husband is purposefully flipping the roll – it’s a testament to our relationship that we can have such differences and still love each other, even tease each other about them. I mean, wars have been fought over less than positioning the terlet paper over or under. And if he is doing it to goad me, it’s sort of cheeky (no pun intended) (okay, slightly intended). Most important, it makes me smile. So it’s not flowers and rose petals on the bed… I can buy my own flowers and have you ever tried to get busy on rose petals? Not all it’s cracked up to be.
What about you? What does your spouse/significant other do that makes you smile and reminds you why you’re together in the first place?
About ChickyBaby
OMG! My husband and I do the EXACT same thing, except I’m an under and he’s an over. LOL.
He cooks dinner six nights a week. He knows I hate cooking so he does it for me :0)
Twitter Name: NearlyNQ
Just thought you should know, Tam, that I’m coming to steal your husband? He cooks SIX NIGHTS A WEEK? Damn.
Twitter Name: chickybaby
I do Monday nights. Because he’s taking Miss 4 to her swimming lesson while I’m home with the baby.
This man isn’t just house-trained, he’s house-proud. Oh, he does the dishes 6 nights a week, too. And no, you can’t have him :)
Twitter Name: NearlyNQ
I wish my husband would PUT toilet paper on the holder PERIOD!
Snuggling. My husband is an awesome cuddle buddy. He probably enjoys it more than I which I find very endearing :)
“LIKE” I recently ventured into my husband’s bathroom/swamp and it seems the TP roll holder is too complicated to use so there are a few half used rolls sitting about and half a dozen of the empty cardboard rolls lined up on the shelf. Really? What is so hard about this??
Twitter Name: omahamama
My husband spoils me rotten.
Oh, yes, he does.
And no…don’t even think about it.
Twitter Name: Janie Snelson
Mine helps me put my jacket on, and after I shrug it on to my shoulders he reaches down and pulls my hair out of my collar. Gives me goosebumps every times. Plus he does all the laundry. Wash, dry, fold, hang AND put away! I could never get past the dry stage.
Twitter Name: rotarykat
My partner always opens the car door for me. Always. He will hold our daughter in one hand, and open the door with the other, and give me a quick kiss. I love it. He also usually tells MissP that whomever she dates had better open her door for her, otherwise they just aren’t worth dating.
I’m sure he’ll look out the window each date to make sure the person did!
Twitter Name: Christa Hotham-Cox
And where exactly did you all shop to get your husbands??? Our humor is the standoff on chores! He giggles when I give in to the pile of dishes, in return I turn the labels on cans in the cabinet, teach that sleeping with the enemy fool! We have noises we share in stores so we each know what we are talking about without others knowing.
Twitter Name: mrsbigtank
These husbands are like ROUSs – I don’t think they exist.
Twitter Name: chickybaby
My darling man does the ironing and the mopping. Now granted, he does it because there is no way on earth that I would do it well or often enough to suit him, but hey, I’ll take it. ;-)
He makes some stupid comment that isn’t actually funny and I find myself saying the end along with him because clearly he has tapped in to my awesome wit. Or, we’re both as bad at the jokes as each other and we have the same ideas and after 21 years we’d be lost without each other.
Twitter Name: penbleth
He empties the dishwasher on my birthday, on our anniversary and on Valentine’s Day. And then we remind each other that THAT’S love. LOLOL!
Twitter Name: sharonkurheg
Best thing my husband does is works the late shifts at our restaurant. We would be out of biz if it were up to me to make it through a whole night! We’re not much for romance but he does make me laugh a lot so I’m pretty sure were in it for the long haul!
Twitter Name: omahamama
I have the perfect PostSecret image to go along with your post:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-31ZvOTf4IF0/TXkNAQPt_KI/AAAAAAAAOX8/GAB0nSYsAiM/s1600/tp.jpg
Some people feel the same way!
Twitter Name: mommybytes
Just recently my husband had to leave for a week on a business trip. Most of our long “courting” (and I mean like 15 years) was baring our souls via notes and letters and then right before we started to date seriously before we got married, we were pen pals. (?) Yeah, weird. I was in California and he was in Utah and we wrote to each other almost every day. Pages long letters. So, when he left on his trip, he left me a letter for every day he was gone. Reminding me that he loves me and reminding me to be patient with the kids and it was just great. Reminded me of our courting years.