How to: Show Your Spouse Love and Support

Whether it's work, school, or new endeavors in life...your spouse needs to feel your love and support. With your added help they can rise to their full potential and reach their goals! Here are a few tips on how to help and show your support:

1. Ask 

Ask where they need some extra help, then do your best to fill in the gaps. If they are out of the house all day long, try to make life a little easier when they get home by washing their work shirts, preparing dinner, etc. This will help to show your spouse that you are a team and that you will do your best in helping them out.

2. Remind 

Remind them that they are loved and supported, doing this will help them in reaching their fullest potential in whatever goal they working towards. Whether this be thoughtful texts throughout the day, a welcoming hug when they return home, or spending quality time with your spouse.

3. Consistency

In reaching any goal, it takes endurance and consistency. Which means that you and your spouse are usually in it {school, work, etc} for the long haul. Make sure to make yourself available to your spouse so they know that they can depend on you when in a bind. 

How to you show your spouse love and support?

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How to: Handle Stress As a Couple

1. Take a Deep Breath and Think

When a stress event occurs in a relationship, it is easy for the wife to get emotional and the husband to work towards coming to an immediate solution. It is necessary for both parts of the couple to take a step back, breathe, calm down, and think about what the options are. This way, the couple is able to see the big picture clearly and is able to make the appropriate decisions. 

2. Know that You are in This Together

Don't ever take on a stress event alone. You and your spouse are hitched together, so take advantage of the support! Knowing that you have someone there to love and support you through a stressful event helps you to calm you down and come to a solution easier.

3. Work as a Team Towards a Solution

Finally, remember that you are a team. You both must play an important role in coming to an agreed upon solution, and that is not possible if each spouse is working towards their own solution. Working together helps to reinforce your trust in one another and further builds your marriage!  

What are your tips for handling stress as a couple?

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Things I Learned From My Parents

This is a post penned by Ashley at Making Our Marx, talking about what she has learned from her parents and their 25 years of marriage!

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Today my parents are celebrating 25 years of marriage.

In our day, I'd say this is a pretty big freaking deal!

I love them so much, and I'm so blessed. I didn't even realize how blessed I was until high school, when I heard people talking about their parents fighting or getting divorced. I didn't know all couples weren't madly in love like Allison and John. They are the best examples to me! I consider myself lucky-I've been able to observe their habits and interactions for the past 22 years, so I think I entered my marriage with some pretty good ideas of what to do. Here are some of the observations I've taken of my parents and their happy marriage.

1. They Never Fight

Sure, they disagree about things, but they just talk it out. They respectfully listen and talk. I've never heard my parents raise their voices at each other.

2. They Spend Time Together

I can't tell you how many of my Friday nights growing up consisted of a little caesars pizza and a babysitter. I am glad they made date night a weekly thing, no matter how tired and busy they were. It showed me the importance of quality spouse time.

3. They Are Always Talking

It's almost annoying, really. They call each other multiple times throughout the day just to say hi. Sometimes when my mom went to girls camp, my dad would write letters to her and send them up with ladies from the ward. It's like they can't stand being away from each other.

4. They Act Like They Love Each Other

Haha, I know they really do love each other. But what I mean by this is that everyone else knows it, too. They always hold hands. He always opens the door. They always sit right next to each other. They compliment one another. Everyone who sees them interact knows they're crazy about each other.

5. They Are a Team

These two people work so hard. They both work, clean, cook, serve, and worship. They help each other and support each other in all the things they do. My mom goes to listen my dad speak in church, and my dad makes a special effort to help with dishes and clean-up after my mom has made dinner. They work so well together.

I could go on, but John's probably already tearing up. Mom, thanks for teaching me how to be a good wife. Dad, thanks for showing me what to look for in a husband. I'm so happy for you two, and I hope you have fun celebrating this special day! I love you.

-Ashley

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