-We love marriage just as much as we love weddings. Take a moment to prepare not just for the wedding, but for the marriage-
I like things that are romantic. Meetings are not romantic. But doing something that’s not so much fun, can pave the way for more fun romantic times.
Almost every week Paul and I have a business & scheduling meeting. This is a home-business meeting, not a Paul Francis Photography meeting. Meaning, we talk about things that affect our daily duties, marriage, and family life. Typically we go over our schedule for the week. What do we have going on each day? Do we have any personal plans, appointments, or meetings? Are there any major items on a our to-do list to get done or something we need the other help out with? Essentially we run through our week at a glance. So now you are thinking, ummm…. how does this help our relationship again?
Having these short little meetings (just 15 minutes) helps to set realistic expectations for ourselves and each other. If we have meetings scheduled every night, it helps us be physically and mentally prepared for it and hopefully plan a night off at the end of week. If we each have tasks which take a large chunk of uninterrupted time, we ensure we do so at a time the other is able to take care of our son. Or, if we are all up to date or even ahead of schedule with our work and house work, or have a particularly quiet week, we can take advantage in order to make time for each other and our loved ones.
Meetings have blessed our marriage tremendously. Sometimes I forget this, even as we are experiencing the positive results… and then I remember quickly when our weekly meeting gets skipped and we experience the negatives. This when I realize that I have not been understanding, or being demanding, or disappointed in the busyness. Because I thought we should have had time for this or because I thought that was a priority. When my expectations are unrealistic it totally throws me off. Not that my expectations always have to met perfectly – we are all human and no one is capable of perfection. But having meetings and taking time to do something that is unsentimental, can allow us to plan for dates and romance. To plan ahead, to keep our expectations realistic, to keep us on the same page and most importantly, to keep the peace in our day-to-day relationship.
*Carolyn
