Life in general can be boring and mundane. I mean we are just beginning to come out of a global pandemic that had us all stuck in the house for over a year; so everyone can relate to this even if you are not married. Every day of your regular life is not always an adventure and your marriage DOES NOT have to be boring!

The great thing about marriage, is that you have a built in partner to enjoy life with and you're able to make it whatever you want it to be!

You have to continue to date your spouse well after the wedding reception. Explore new things together and don't be afraid to continue to study your spouse. This will keep your marriage fresh and your love anew!

My husband and I LOVE doing things together, discovering new restaurants, traveling, and making each other laugh.

What do you and your spouse do to keep things fresh in your marriage?

Why is it that when you get married, or have been together in a relationship for a long time, your kissing game changes? You go from deep kisses to quick pecks on the cheek whenever you are leaving each other.

We wouldn't tolerate pecking while we were dating so let's NOT ACCEPT IT NOW!

Today, every time you leave the presence of your spouse, give them a big, juicy kiss and LINGER! Make it a game to see who can stay in the kiss the longest and let us know in the comments below who won (even though both of you will be winners😉)!

Every Tuesday we will share with you some maintenance relationship check questions so that you can identify any early symptoms that may determine if a tune up is needed for your marriage.

This week's question is to discuss how well are you all listening to each other. Women are great at using all of the words to communicate, but how many are actually landing?

Take time this week to talk about how effectively you all are communicating with each other. What's preventing you from hearing each other well? Are there topics that either of you are hesitant to bring up and discuss?

Anyone who has been married for any amount of time will know that communicating
effectively is an evolution. There will be times where you are able to communicate in a way where you can
accurately convey how you feel and what you need without an accusing tone.

You will constantly work toward obtaining an understanding of your spouse's feelings and opinions.
Honestly, you will also have to figure out what you are feeling in order to communicate that effectively to
your spouse, beyond just superficial feelings.

Marriage does not make you both mind readers and you won't be able to automatically know what your
spouse is thinking and feeling. You will have to develop communication styles that works for your
relationship so that you will not become distant or resentful toward each other.

You know how the saying is the quickest way to a man's heart is through their stomachs? Well, I believe that is true for any foodie!

Today's challenge is to surprise your spouse with their favorite meal or dessert for lunch or dinner. This is a
great weekend to do this to for the fathers out there where you can celebrate him throughout the weekend!

And because we are foodies😋, what are some of y'all's favorite foods/desserts?

There is no way that I would be able to wear all the hats that I do without the help of my husband. We are truly a team!

And when things become overwhelming where 1
person is carrying too much of the workload, then we have a chat where we talk about it all....housework, wrangling the kids, managing the finances, intimacy deficits, self-care timeouts, and more.

Take time to discuss what makes you a great team and then talk about how you can improve (because a team can always be better).

I grew up really churchy and something that was always told to me was to never "shack up" with a boyfriend because he will "never want to buy the cow if he can get the milk for free." Anyone else ever been told that?

Have you thought about being able to watch a movie with a little more privacy than you
would in a movie theater? Search for the nearest drive-in movie theater for ya'll to try out this weekend.

Cuddle up in the back of your car with your spouse. Just be sure to save the extra curricular activity for
when you get back home. #nobackseatofmyjeep

If your marriage is going through a rough stage, adding a baby to the equation is not the
way to try and fix things.

It's actually the opposite!

Having a child will magnify any current issues that the marriage is experiencing. For example, if you are
having communication issues, going through a pregnancy with increased hormones and body
changes, will not make that any easier or cause communication between you and your spouse to
improve.

Keep in mind that there is never a "perfect" time to start a family, but realize that having a child comes
with its own stressors and doesn't resolve any current problems.

If your marriage is going through a rough stage, adding a baby to the equation is not the
way to try and fix things.

It's actually the opposite!

Having a child will magnify any current issues that the marriage is experiencing. For example, if you are
having communication issues, going through a pregnancy with increased hormones and body
changes, will not make that any easier or cause communication between you and your spouse to
improve.

Keep in mind that there is never a "perfect" time to start a family, but realize that having a child comes
with its own stressors and doesn't resolve any current problems.

It's time to spice things up for the flashback Friday challenge!

Tonight, give your spouse a massage. It can be foot rub, neck and shoulder massage, and/or a scalp
massage. There's no limits or restrictions! Focus on your spouse, their needs, and their tension.

Who knows what else it would lead to 👀?

It is often told to newlyweds that you should never go to bed angry.

While I can see where that advice is headed, I would venture to say that it is not always feasible.

You don't want to force coming to a resolution when the both of your emotions are at their heightened
levels. Or if you feel backed into a corner, you may say something that hits below the belt and cause even
more damage that what the initial disagreement was.

It is okay to decide to a break from the intense fellowship and agree on a time when you all will
continue the discussion. This gives you both time to cool off.

You have so much power and authority in your words! Why not document your love and
appreciation for your spouse?

Write a love letter to your boo thang and leave it somewhere they would least expect it (underneath
their pillow, by their toothbrush, etc.)

To be equal would mean that you and your spouse are the exact same person, and that is
just not the case. God made you different for a reason!

In our marriages, we need to strive toward equality and an equal partnership; where we focus on working as a
team, sharing the workload, and expressing our gratitude for what each spouse brings to the
relationship and household.

When was the last time that you did something spontaneous, random, and kind for your
spouse?

Like speaking encouraging or kind words to them throughout the day, washing their car, taking care of
one of their daily tasks, or giving them some "ME" time.

The fact is we do argue, but in our household we call it an "intense time of fellowship".

Having a difference of opinion is ok because we are two individuals with our own perspectives and
opinions. When you get married that does not mean that you now think the same and see everything the
same way.

Today is Spouse Appreciation Day (unofficially - I may have just made that up)!

We are going to go out of our way to share just how much we appreciate our spouse and give examples
(that's really important). We want to bombard our spouses with words of affirmation because everyone
loves to feel appreciated!

Ok, so let's send text messages, post on social media, and tell them face to face😧 exactly what we
appreciate about what your spouse does for you and your family (with details).

No matter how much you encourage, nag, or even threaten your spouse, you CANNOT change them (or anyone else for that matter)! Whether it is a pet peeve or a major character flaw, you cannot fix their flaws for them. We were not blessed with that superpower!

The next time you see your spouse, stop what you are doing, and give them a hug holding
it for 90 seconds. Don't say anything. Just hug and connect.

Hugging for this long will release Oxytocin in the both of you, letting you feel as though everything is alright.

Sex is so critical in a marriage. It's more than just the physical act, but it's an outward display of an intimate connection!

God is the creator of sex and he made it so that it's enjoyable within the confines of a marriage. Per the book of the Song of Solomon....who said that sex has to be boring?!?!?!

Get creative with your spouse (as long as both parties are in agreement) and have some fun! Your connection shouldn't be boring or mundane! I mean, we got 3 kids so 🤷🏾‍♀️