The other day Jason was visiting with some co-workers about…actually I have no idea what he was visiting with them about, but the topic of marriage came up.
I don’t know about you, but I’d love to bug my husband’s belt buckle so I could hear what he says about me behind my back. Am I a great wife? A good cook? An awesome friend? Exactly what is it that keeps him coming around, other than the obvious (my superior laundry skills)?
Apparently, they were talking about marriage (our marriage) and what makes it so good. See, they don’t read my blog, and unlike me, Jason doesn’t run into the office and tell everyone about my most recent tissy fit, or why he’s decided it’s safer to sleep in his car for the week (kidding, he just uses the couch).
That’s when he told them. Our biggest and most impressive Staying Turned On secret is…date night.
One of his cronies was shocked.
“We go out every Friday,” Jason said.
“What? You mean, you guys go on a date every single week?”
“Yep.”
“Well…” here’s where he wasn’t sure how to respond, “Well we’re on a budget!”
Good old Dave Ramsey didn’t let me down here, no way. “Yeah,” Jason said, “We’re on a budget too. It’s called pay a twelve-year-old and split a meal at Cafe Rio. It doesn’t take a lot of money to have a date night with your wife.”
And there it is. As couples, we come up with a million reasons to avoid date night, the most important night of the week. The kids are too small, sitters are too expensive, the budget won’t let us.
I say, if you can’t afford a sitter, find a girlfriend who will trade sitting with you. When we lived in Maryland, no way could we afford dinners and child care, so we’d trade babysitting, eat at McDonald’s, and go walk around furniture stores, picking out impractical sectionals for our 17 square foot town home.
I can think of at least 22 other ways to keep your marriage strong, but I thought it was interesting that this is the one my husband put down first on his list. Sometimes, we neglect to stare them in the face and offer our undivided attention. They need date night.
Go, leave your children and hold hands in public. And if you’re kids are old enough to be self-sat, count yourself lucky and go out twice this week. You’ll be amazed at how quiet the globe is without all that less-than-white noise.
Amen! We go on a date night once a month, fortunately we have local grandparents. Since our kids are older, we are also able to sneak in “mini-dates”, to pick up coffee, run to the store, etc. We usually end up at Walgreens…. or Walmart. LOL. After sharing a meal at McDonald’s.
I love your husband is talking about marriage secrets. I just can’t see Adam doing this.
Yes you hit it right on the spot. It is what Jason thinks keeps it alive and awesome and what he cherishes each week spending a child free couple of hours with the adult of his life. We still have date night and our son is 23 but we so look forward to it. Some times our date night is renting a movie and cuddling on the couch but we still have it.
*cough* so, uh… I came here to fix your email subscription issue, but I got a little sidetracked! haha!
My family is LDS as well, and my parents have gone on weekly date nights for as long as I can remember! (I’m 20 years old, so I’ve been alive for over 1,000 of their weekly date nights, lol). Mom always said paying a babysitter is cheaper than paying a psychiatrist. I’m so glad I have parents who love each other and love to be around each other. I definitely want to pattern my own marriage after them, and I’m so happy you are setting an example for your own little ones!
ahhh. so cute sweet and smart. I always wonder why mine keeps coming home to crazy crazy me.
We are firm believers in date night. Sometimes we go out both Friday and Saturday night thanks to a 13-year-old at home! Oh, and Groupons!
I find a trip to the gas station for a big old diet coke to be extremely sexy… especially if I can go in my pajamas sans bra. That way it’s exciting for everyone. Especially if it’s cold.
I totally agree with you. There are lots of free things to do too. You can go on a picnic, or a hike, or a walk. You can go to the zoo (minus the kids, don’t tell). Things look so different when you aren’t worried about who is picking on who or who is lost.
Date night is the best…and it gets even cheaper when your oldest child is babysitting age 🙂
He is a very wise hubby. Cause I bet your rock the date night.
good for him for sharing his knowledge!
we aren’t very good in this department…between leaving a nursing baby, and having a phobia of other peoples germs that always get my kids sick when we leave them somewhere, it seriously happens every time!
We do date night for Tavis and me every other Thursday and on the other Thursdays it’s family date night. However, when I bring it up to Tavis, I get the BIGGEST eye-roll, sigh, moan and groan you’ve ever heard. It’s irritating! I don’t ask much. Take me to the gas station for a Pepsi. SOMEthing. ANYthing. Our kids love, love, love it, too. Poor Tavis, he’s got a wife and kids that want to hang out with him. Must be rough.
I wholeheartedly agree, though. You gotta get out and away from the kids. It’s imperative.