A Weekly Date

 

My children were safely delivered to a trusted friends home for a total of five hours. It was rare for Mica and I to have a home date, and we were looking forward to having uninterrupted time alone at home. We cooked together, ate a delicious meal, and had intimate conversation reminiscing about our relationship’s highs and lows. We had time to connect with each other spirit, soul, and body. What a night!

Now, the day did not start out so beautifully. Mom’s with young ones know how much effort it takes to have a home date. I still had to ensure my children were clean, clothed, and fed that day. There were errands to run, not to mention getting my house clean enough so my mind could actually enjoy a home date. Yes, you guessed it! I’m type A, off the chart!

Can I just say this as loud as I can? IT WAS WORTH IT! You will never regret the sacrifices made to date your spouse. No matter what stage your marriage is in, have a weekly date. Here are a few suggestions:

Make a statement to everyone around that your marriage is top priority, by having a weekly date. Click To Tweet

 

Lunch dates count.

If both you and your spouse work outside the home, connecting for lunch a few times a week can encourage intimacy. You can stay current with each other’s professional lives and have the opportunity to offer support. I enjoy hearing what’s going on in Mica’s workplace. One of our favorite questions to ask is, “Did you meet anyone interesting today?” Dates after the children go to bed. For this one, you need to be more disciplined with bedtime. Mica and I were not often successful with this, but we had friends who had a 8 o’clock bedtime for their children and they would always enjoy a couple of hours together every night. You could watch your favorite television show together with a bowl of ice cream. What about a candlelight tub bath? The list is endless! Child swapping dates are great! We had some close friends that were at our same stage in life. We did not have family that lived close to us, so to find friends we trusted to swap babysitting with was a life-saver for our marriage. We would watch each other’s children every other week. Our children were happy to play with their friends, and we were ecstatic to get some uninterrupted time together. A win-win arrangement!

Dates after the children go to bed.

For this one, you need to be more disciplined with bedtime. Mica and I were not often successful with this, but we had friends who had a 8 o’clock bedtime for their children and they would always enjoy a couple of hours together every night. You could watch your favorite television show together with a bowl of ice cream. What about a candlelight tub bath? The list is endless!

Child swapping dates are great!

We had some close friends that were at our same stage in life. We did not have family that lived close to us, so to find friends we trusted to swap babysitting with was a life-saver for our marriage. We would watch each other’s children every other week. Our children were happy to play with their friends, and we were ecstatic to get some uninterrupted time together. A win-win arrangement!

In Ted Cunningham’s book Fun Loving You, he says that married dating is a regular reminder to you, me, and those around us that these two go together. They are one!