Togetherness Hobbies

Ever since we were dating, we have enjoyed playing piano duets together. We get to sit next to each other and enjoy time as a couple. We can make music together that we can't make with just one. Our favorites are songs out of a handful of duet books for four hands. Our best duet ever was Miaou by Gabriel Faure. We worked on it many evenings together, after the kids went to bed, in preparation for a talent show.

We also both play hymns at church. There are some 300 hymns in our hymnbook. We can play most of them. Both of us, can pretty much play whatever hymn is asked of us. Except, one... #62 "All Creatures of our God and King". It's a beast! We've both practiced it many times, trying to master it. But, when asked to play it for a group or congregation, we both know it's going to have to be a duet. I play top hand, he plays bottom hand. That's the only way, to gracefully get through that song. We both enjoy our hobby together.

Knitting your way to a happy marriage

Here's a funny video about getting through all the disagreements in marriage. This video made us chuckle.

Ryan cleans when he's upset. I go jogging when I'm upset.
Right now Ryan and I are both laughing together, because our house is a mess and I'm out of shape. Maybe we should have more fights. Not really.
What do you do when you're upset with your spouse?

Aprons and suits

Dad is in charge of food on weekends at our house, and Mom doesn't usually even go in the kitchen on Sunday. I (Dad) recently noticed a pattern on Sunday afternoons: when we get home from church, everyone is starving so I head straight into the kitchen, put on an apron over my suit, and start cooking. Usually we move on to making Sunday Treat once lunch is under control, and depending on how long that takes (the kids usually help) dinner might not be far away. The apron (and the suit) often stay with me until the kids go to bed.

At one point it occurred to me that I should feel strange wearing an apron over dress clothes, but it really doesn't bother me. Then I realized that my own Dad has been wearing an apron over his suit on Sunday afternoons for as long as I can remember, and Grandpa did the same. Rumor has it that the neighbors used to heckle Great Grandpa when he not only wore an apron but did it outdoors while hanging the laundry out to dry. "Hey Fred, you doin' woman's work again?" they'd ask. He'd just smile and shrug, then finish the job before heading back to the house, laundry basket in tow.

Looking back through our early photos, it seems I didn't start out with a proper apron.

It doesn't seem to have gotten in the way of Sunday cooking, though.

A few years after we married Leah made me an apron.

She even sewed a little heart on one corner.

I'm not sure how vital a man's apron has been to these four generations of marriages, but it definitely hasn't hurt. I'm sure Mom and two Grandmas appreciated the help just as much as my wife does. It also shows that the patterns we set can carry strongly through multiple generations and color the experience of descendants we won't even live to meet.

Our Marriage

Ryan and I(Leah) have been happily married for 11 years. We have a thing for the number 1, so 11 should be a good year for us. See, we met July 1st, went on our first date together Sept 1st, had our first kiss Dec 1st, got engaged March 1st and married June 1st. We also happened to be each others first boyfriend/girlfriend, kiss, fiancée, spouse, etc. We're happy with how that turned out.

We've been told that since our relationship and dating experience was so easy, that we'd have no advice for our children on dating. That's probably true. So, we like to watch and learn from others.

Ryan wants to add: We aren't too sad about missing out on a bunch of complicated relationships and break-ups.