Today: Tips for keeping the romance alive
Qualifications to speak on this: Woman. Wife. Enough said.
Warnings: Some photos are hazardous to all sanity and health. Perhaps close your eyes.
Goal: May you avoid my mistakes, live through your own, and get a good chuckle out of a few past hair faux-dos. Also—may you find a few ideas that are actually on the up side of right. Enjoy…and may romance stay alive in your lives! (At least every so often, right?!)
Today I come to you as a professional nobody with a huge resume of what not to do! Therefore, I invite you to observe, take notes, and cringe (when appropriate) as you traverse the years of my mistakes. THEN I invite you to continue reading so you will see that, while everyone makes mistakes, SOMETIMES things can be done right…And the romance, in your lives, can live on!
Come all ye tired and weary…and haggard and worn.
Come all ye messy and sloppy…and, well, you get the idea!
Just come!
So before leaving for Europe, the continent of fashion (come on, we’ve all seen The Devil Wears Prada—or at least heard of it), I was quite the fashion-ist-not!
My favorite attire, when not in appropriate, mature, educational attire while at work, was overalls.
Yes. You read that correctly. Overalls.
I wore them every second that I was not at work.
Wouldn’t they start to stink? You may ask.
Why, no! For I had more than 1 pair. More than 1 color. More than just long. I even had overall shorts.
I was quite the fashion-ist-not! My. Poor. Husband.
And then we did it! God called us to Poland. We were thrilled.
Upon arriving, however, I was slapped with a HUGE wake-up call that was called===Overalls are SO NOT COOL!
Take me away, Calgon!
And so I took a look at all the stylish and pretty Polish ladies around me and tried to take notes.
Note #1—Many Polish women have short, strikingly beautiful short hair. It frames their faces perfectly and makes them appear ready to grace the covers of ALL fashion magazines.
So, short hair! That’s the ticket! Must. Cut. Hair.
Ugh. What am I? Half human, half porcupine? Really, Brooke…My short hair rivaled my husband’s in length. Note to all, Ladies—Never cut your hair shorter than your husband’s.
Well, that didn’t work. Let’s grow it back out…
Eek! Glad I’m patriotic and all, but perhaps I better let America represent herself. Umm…I am pretty sure that the clipped back hair and lack of style says it all.
The next hairdo has got to be a bit better, right?
Back away from the camera, Brooke! My goodness…We don’t need to see EVERY freckle on your face. Hmmm. Still not sure that the curly goodness is the way to go.
Let’s move on…
Note #2—Since the hair is left wanting…have fun and play with your spouse. You know, card games, board games, kissing games. But never, and I mean NEVER, let your spouse give you a “mark” Right. On. Your. Forehead.
There are limits to the fun EVERYONE should have…and a forehead hickey is one of them. Really, Richard?!
So, now that you have seen many “What Not to Do” moments (Don’t do your hair like mine. Don’t leave a mark on your spouse’s forehead), let me help you figure out a few fun things that you CAN do to keep the romance alive!
Every so often dress yourself up, and go out on the town! There’s probably not a husband in the world that doesn’t want you sporting some sassy pantyhose, short skirt, and black boots. Just try to put together an outfit with a bit of flavor and go have fun!
Another thing you can do, sit in the “light” be it firelight, candlelight, Christmas tree lights, night light…Sit in the “light” and have some moments of sweet nothings. A dimly-lit room makes the evening relaxing and peaceful. Throw on Chopin (gotta throw in the Polish composer) and don’t turn on the TV or computer. Just relax next to your spouse. Visit. Chat. Kiss. Cuddle. Whatever. Just enjoy basking together in the softness of the “light”.
Write romantic love notes to one another. This can be a short note. It can be a long note. The point is it’s free. It’s from your heart. And it’s appreciated.
And then take it up a notch! Grab a rose. Grab a pan (any pan will do) and put your rose and your note in the pan. Fill the pan with water, and then stick it (the note, rose, pan with water) in the freezer.
Later, when your spouse comes home, take the note and place it somewhere they can see it! Oh what a fun surprise! (take it out of the pan by soaking the bottom of the pan in warm water and removing the entire ice chunk)
Unique. Beautiful. Thoughtful. And quite the memory maker. The best part—the ice has to melt before the note can be excavated and read. Makes for an evening of suspense, too!
This was a romantic Richard gesture for me…And I loved waiting for my love note!
These are great ideas, Brooke…But I’m tired. I’ve got to clean the house. I haven’t had a shower all day. I’m a mom…Oh, how I know the list could go on.
So, lastly, I leave you with this…Involve the kids.
What? In our romance?
No. But involve the kids in the fun of keeping the “love” alive…
Surprise your spouse with your quiet but public profession of love…Your love for him. Your children’s love for him.
(Maxwell’s shirt says, “Handsome…Just like my daddy!”)
Truly, nothing’s sweeter. And with these public professions of your love, take your spouse and your family out for dinner—make sure those all around you can see for themselves how special your spouse is.
And, it’s likely when you return home from dinner, you’ll probably have to bathe the kids and get them dressed for bed and read them stories and wipe their noses and remind them to go to the bathroom. So many things that will make you too tired to be too romantic. Don’t worry. Simply curl up together, watch a show, and just enjoy the memory that everyone knows the one you love is the one beside you.
Romance can definitely be a hairy endeavor (pun intended)—but even the simplest things can help keep it alive!
And 2 Makes Crazy 