i like… YOU tooooo

I had a couple thoughts just as an addendum to my last post…

When Alex and I attended premarital classes at our church, one thing that stuck with me was the concept of loving your spouse being more important than loving your kids. Of course, that doesn’t mean neglecting your kids! The general idea is that by putting your relationship with your spouse first, loving your kids will naturally follow. Perhaps you end up loving your kids more just by loving your spouse first. I suppose another way of looking at it is your kids observe how much you two love each other and consequently feel safe and secure in their realm of family love.

I think our kids may still be too young for us to see the full truth in this concept. Nonetheless, I’ve seen glimpses of proof. Our home feels generally warmer when my husband and I are united on the same team, even if our toddler is acting up and trying our patience. Taking time for ourselves and going on date-nights helps us feel a little more relaxed and more rejuvenated to be good parents. In other words, we are better parents when we truly feel the love for each other. In loving my husband, I do feel more appreciative of his characteristics that are in our kids, and I’m always grateful for how these two boys are the result of our love for each other.

There were many times when, as a baby, our eldest son would fall asleep between us as we just talked to each other lying in bed. Trust me: he used to have a very difficult time falling asleep without being nursed! So I take this as an indication he felt calm and secure enough to relax. Also, when he catches us hugging or kissing, he likes to run over and do the same. In loving each other, I think my hubby and I are teaching our boys about love and respect, too.

So, by keeping our commitment to writing in the I Like book this year, I’d like to think we’re not only coming closer together as a couple, but also as parents and as a family.

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