Josh Calls Me Dr. Phil

Remember the butterflies in your stomach that you used to get when that special someone called you up and asked you out on a date? You excitedly accepted the offer, hung up the phone, and squealed with delight {or at least I did}, knowing you were going to spend a romantic evening with him. Ahhh. Those were the days! I remember my very first date with Josh. It was actually a double date {which made it a little less nerve racking}, and we all went to see The Sixth Sense. I honestly can't tell you a thing about the movie. No, wait, I do remember it was scary. I know what you're thinking, and yes, we did actually watch the movie. But I remember us holding hands, and that is all I could think about as we sat side-by-side in the movie theater. My heart was beating so fast; I was in love. Ok, maybe not in love {yet}, but I reaaally liked the guy. And it wasn't long before the love bug feelings turned into love. And seven years after that first date we tied the knot. Yes ladies, I was a patient girlfriend. Sometimes I thought we'd never get married.

After we got married we got a surge of those love bugs again. I'm pretty sure that's a normal thing that happens when a couple gets married. We were newlyweds totally in love.



But slowly over time, the newlywed high faded. I personally never thought the excitement of being married to Josh would fade, but it did. And that's okay. Our love for each other is greater than feelings that come and go. Love is a commitment, not a feeling. We choose to love each other despite how we feel about each other. To be perfectly honest, it's not always easy to love Josh. And I'm not always easy to love either. But we work at it. Everyday.

One thing I have come to realize {especially since Noah joined our family} is how important it is to date and to make the effort to spend some time alone. I was reading a blog about dating your husband, and the writer said, "Life brings some stress that can tend to interfere with marriages, and getting away just the two of you is a great way to communicate and just enjoy one another." So true.

One of my resolutions for the new year was to go on more dates with my husband. I am proud to tell you we have been on three so far this year, and it's been great! If you haven't been on a date in a while, make it a priority today to have one! Here is a huge list of date ideas I gathered from a few different sites. Happy searching!

Cheap ideas:

1. Go out for pizza.
2. Plan a movie night. Rent a flick that you’ll both enjoy, make popcorn, and get cozy under the blanket on the couch.
3. Head out to the dollar theater and splurge on snacks.
4. Try brunch and a matinee.
5. Pick up a bucket of fried chicken and head to the drive-in movie.
6. Lay a blanket down in your backyard and add candles, fancy cheese, chocolate and voila: five- star fun!
7. Museums usually have one free night a week or month, so hit one then.
8. Grab a basketball and hit the free courts at the park.
9. Go to a local video arcade and play games together.
10. Get coffee at your favorite coffee house and just talk to one another.
11. Drive out to a country field, lie down and snuggle under the stars.
12. Make yourselves the biggest, craziest ice cream sundae ever.
13. Take a tour of the house you'd {someday} love to own.
14. Throw a slumber party for two. Have dinner in bed and have each other for dessert.
15. Go for a hike or long walk together.
16. Have a tournament of your choice – Battleship, Monopoly, cards, Playstation, etc. For a twist, the winner has to take the loser out to dinner for another date night.
17. Make out like teenagers on the couch. Hahaha this one is funny.

Let's get creative:

18. Paint coffee mugs at a paint-your-own-pottery place.
19. Hit a farmers' market and scavenge for your dinner.
20. Go to a local flea market and shop interesting finds.
21. Take a tour of garage sales in the ritziest neighborhoods.
22. Glide at the nearest ice skating rink.
23. Poke around an antique shop.
24. Stop at a fancy bakery and pick out a treat for each other.
25. Feed the ducks.
26. Hold a kiss for one elevator ride.
27. Head to a batting cage and swing at some balls.
28. Hit the bowling alley.
29. Fire up the grill for burgers and sticky s'mores.
30. Play paintball.
31. Play putt-putt golf.
32. Swim, lounge, and enjoy a day at the beach or pool.
33. Go to a theme park and clutch each other on the scary rides.
34. Camp out and kiss under the stars. Oh, I like this idea!
35. Think outside the box and go out for a romantic breakfast instead of dinner.
36. Shop together for something you want but do not actually need.

Mini Getaways {$$$}:

37. Book a double massage at a spa.
38. Take a balloon or helicopter ride over your town.
39. Rent a fancy car. Ride around as if you actually own it.
40. Find a nearby bed-and-breakfast. Spend the night someplace where someone else makes the bed and cooks breakfast.
41. Plan a trip and go!

Little Personal Touches:

42. Write a quick love note on the bathroom mirror.
43. Write an encouraging, sweet, short {or steamy} email during the day.
44. Make breakfast for him {or with him} on Saturday morning.
45. Surprise him with a new shirt or something you'll know he'll enjoy.
46. Hold hands whenever you can. We sometimes forget this simple notion of affection.
47. Cook together.