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The BEST Tip For Your Marriage

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THE BEST THING FOR YOUR MARRIAGEToday I have a super great secret for a strong marriage…

Are you ready??

GET AWAY TOGETHER WITHOUT YOUR KIDS.

At least once a year.  Twice if you score a rad Groupon or Hotwire deal.

Seriously.  Mr. B. and I have been going away for 2 nights on our anniversary week for the last 3 years and it has strengthened our relationship on so many different levels.

Life with kids is wonderful and blessed and full and fun.

But occasionally – dare I say it – our kids (and life in general) can take center stage while our marriage quietly suffers.

You don’t get as much alone time, you don’t get to finish conversations without a hundred little interruptions, and sometimes you can even forget how to laugh and have fun together.

Getting away with your man for a few nights is a wonderful way to help you both remember about the awesome power team couple you are.

Go see a funny movie.  Eat meals at a reasonable pace.  Look each other in the eye.  SLEEP IN.

Obviously there are a hundred other things we can and should be doing daily for our marriages and a short vacation clearly won’t fix everything, but it just might be the thing you both need to keep on keeping on.

As a team.

Now I know some of you might be sighing and saying wistfully, “I would, Julie, if we had the money!”

First, let me make something clear – Mr. B. and I are not wealthy people by any means.  We work for a church and school – need I say more? 🙂

So we have had to get creative when it comes to our little getaways.

Here are some ways we have made a vacation possible on a small budget…

  • Ask around your church if someone has a vacation home.  See if they might be willing to let you and your hubby enjoy it for a few days.
  • Do you know anyone who has a timeshare?  Both of our parents have invested in timeshares and every once in awhile they will call us and say they have a bunch of points to spend at a participating resort and do we want them before they expire?  It’s awesome.
  • Speaking of timeshares, when Ryan and I were newly weds and REALLY poor, we used to sign up for the super cheap 3-night getaways at really fancy hotels – the reason they were so cheap was because you had to spend one morning enduring enjoying a 90-minute presentation about timeshares.  You just need to make sure that you 2 are in agreement about saying NO to the timeshare in the end.  We did this several times and often joked that the timeshare people had pictures of us in their coffee break rooms admonishing employees to watch out for our unbreakable resolve.
  • Look on Groupon, Hotwire, Travelocity, or Expedia for amazing deals.  I mean you could get an incredible, 4 or 5 star hotel for less than $99 a night!  Just turn your air conditioning or heat off for a week and BAM – there’s your getaway cash.
  • Find a grandparent or friend who could host your kids for the night so you can stay home together alone.

Once you have accommodations figured out, babysitting is the next task to tackle.

We always turn to the grandparents for help first (thank you Grammie and Mom-Mom for EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR US!).

But if they are not free, or in the picture, call a friend.

Reach out to your church.

The Lord has brought so many wonderful, fun, trustworthy (and sometimes even FREE) babysitters into our life because of our generous, loving, and supportive church community.

But most of all, remember to commit the whole ordeal to prayer.

I truly believe that God cares about your desire to get away with your husband.  Trust Him to provide you with what you need to make it happen.

Maybe Mr. B. and I will see you at a timeshare presentation (wink!).

– Julie 🙂

“My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me.” Song of Solomon 2:10

Marriage
Christian Marriage, Marriage
4 Comments

About Happy Home Fairy

Julie Brasington is a Preschool Director, wife of a South Florida Worship Pastor and mom of 3 boys. She writes at Happy Home Fairy where you can find easy craft ideas, FREE printables, simple recipes, holiday fun, thoughts on raising kids, and encouragement for moms.

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Reader Interactions

4 Comments

  1. Christia Colquitt

    January 4, 2016 at 4:06 pm

    These are great tips. It is so important to plan time away with our spouses or time will just slip us by. Thank you for the inspiration. I would love for you to check out my linkup party at http://faithfilledparenting.com/2016/01/faith-filled-parenting-linkup-party-5-2/

    to Christia Colquitt" aria-label='reply to this comment to Christia Colquitt'>reply to this comment
    • Happy Home Fairy

      January 4, 2016 at 10:51 pm

      Thank you for sharing, girl! I linked up! 🙂

      to Happy Home Fairy" aria-label='reply to this comment to Happy Home Fairy'>reply to this comment
  2. Rosemary

    January 5, 2016 at 8:53 pm

    One way to get a baby sitter is to trade with another couple. You keep their kids when they take their couples weekend, and they do the same for you.

    to Rosemary" aria-label='reply to this comment to Rosemary'>reply to this comment
    • Happy Home Fairy

      January 5, 2016 at 9:19 pm

      Rosemary, that is a GREAT idea! Thank you for sharing!

      to Happy Home Fairy" aria-label='reply to this comment to Happy Home Fairy'>reply to this comment

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Hey there! My name is Julie, the Happy Home Fairy. I am married to a Worship Pastor, we have 3 boys, and I am a Preschool Director. I love sharing easy, fun ideas to help moms build a happy home! Here you will find simple crafts, FREE Printables, yummy recipes, stories about my journey to trust Jesus with my family, and encouragement for your mama's heart. You can read more about me HERE!

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