Get to Know your Spouse Again

The beginning of a relationship is an amazing thing.  The feelings you have when starting a new relationship are what keeps us falling in love even after we've been hurt.  Somehow, once you tie the knot, get jobs, and have a few kids, you often forget what made you fall in love in the first place.  I can't guarantee that you'll get that weak in the knees feeling again, but if you've ever looked at your spouse and felt like you were living with a stranger, these tips may help you to get things back on track.

One of the most important things you can do is commit to spend time with each other.  Choose a night each week tht will be your date night and stick to it. It's best if you can get out of the house but not necessary.  The rules for date night are that you can not talk about your kids, work, or finances.  You may talk about your dreams, your goals, interesting conversations you had that day, etc.

Decide to read a book together.  This is a great way to get to know your spouse better and to learn more about them. Take turns picking the book, decide how much you will read each week and then set aside time to talk about it.  You'll take turns sharing something that's interesting to you and learn things you never knew before.

Do something nice, or lots of somethings, for your spouse without the expectation of return.  If your husband hates to mow the lawn, have it mowed when he gets home from work. Do this regularly for him.  If your wife hates to do dishes, start pitching in.  Leave your spouse a love note in the bathroom or under his pillow.  Bring him home his favorite beer without being asked.  You used to do those things when you were dating and first married, do them again!

Decide that you'll start telling each other something new about yourself each day.  You think you know one another so well, but you'd be amazed what you'll come up with to tell when you have to.  You'll learn things about your spouse that you never knew and start to see them in a whole new light.

Set aside a night and play, "What would you do?"  My husband and I do this often in bed before we fall asleep.  We usually ask questions that test each others morals and beliefs, but they can be funny too.  Questions like, "What would you do if you had the opportunity to cure cancer but 3 people had to die?"  "What is one of those people was a family member?"  Think of anything.  This can really give you a look into  your spouses thought process.

Say I love you, and mean it, often!