Sticks

Wow, I'm on a roll today! I just had to share my FHE lesson. Yes, just like most everything else I do, I stole this idea from Pinterest. I wanted to teach a lesson about marriage. Specifically how to make a spouse feel special amongst the arrival of a new baby. Sometimes it's really easy for Ryan and I to get so caught up with Lilly, that when free time comes around, we completely ignore each other while we catch up on our own things (me, cleaning. Ryan, computer work). I know, personally, that I find myself getting down about how it feels like we're stuck in a rut. Don't get me wrong, we're so beyond happy, but I miss feeling that excitement sometimes. Just ask Ryan, whenever he asks me what's wrong, I always just say "I wanna feel loved." I like feeling special and like Ryan and I try at our marriage. I want Lilly to grow up seeing how much Ryan and I love each other. She doesn't need to know how truly tired and overwhelmed we are, just how much fun we can be.

My lesson was about how we can make each other feel special, and how we can plan weekly date nights, regardless of time or money. Fun doesn't always have to cost money. I wrote down date night activities on popsicle sticks, and colored each stick according to the amount of preparation and money required. Yellow are free and require little-to-no prep. Things like: do a puzzle, go to the temple, play a board game. Blue requires a few bucks and a bit more time, for example, dollar menu dinner, rent a Redbox, and spend $5 at DI. The red ones require prep, possibly letting others know, and require a date night fund. The red pile includes things like: bowling, double date, movie theater (we rarely go), mini golfing, try a new restaurant, etc, etc. I threw in a few random, fun ones. "Chooser's choice" means that the person choosing can pick the activity, but it has to be within the means of the color group. Then, in the yellow group, there's "Natalie's Choice" and "Ryan's Choice," so even if I'm choosing, if I pick "Ryan's Choice," he gets to pick the activity. Kinda fun. I'm excited to see if this gets us out more. I'm still thinking of things to add.

By total accident, before I ever said anything about the lesson, Ryan came home with a Lilly for me. It's ironic because my lesson teaches about how love and marriage are like flowers. They need nurturing and love to survive. See, he knows how to make me feel special!