In the interest of posting something that does not take me 239 hours to compose, I present to you: Things I can simply type from a written source! I’ll have you know that I scored 82 wpm on that typing test I took down at the temp agency. Who knew the keyboarding class I took in 10th grade would provide me with my most valuable career skill to date?
After the beau and I got engaged, my mother got to work scrapbooking. What she came up with was a collection of marriage advice from my family. She presented this book at the engagement party my family threw for us during our trip to Michigan last autumn, but it wasn’t quite done then. This week the finished book finally arrived in the mail, and I want to share with you some highlights.
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“My thoughts as you begin your lifetime journey together:
Don’t sweat the small stuff. Things that seem like a crisis at the time often end up being nothing at all or slight bumps in the road. Concentrate on what’s important and always try to roll with the punches.
The most important thing, however, is to always make time to have fun. Doing things together that you both enjoy not only lightens the everyday load, it also keeps you close as a couple.
I’m very happy and excited that you have found each other (thanks Napoleon Dynamite!) and wish you the very best!”
– Mom
“From the kitchen of C&L!
The following ingredients are for the base of your recipe. You can add your own spices depending on your tastes.
C: Caring, Conscientious, Cuddly, Comforting, Cute, Creative, Curious, Crafty, Cozy, Consistent, Clever, Courageous, Crazy, Cheerful, Cocktails at the end of a long day!
L: Love, Laughing, Listening, Learning, Light-hearted, Loyal, Lounge, Lover, Lighting, Lazy, Live every day!
If you work together, and combine all of the ingredients the right way, you will have the recipe of success for your future happiness.”
– Aunt L.
“Communication is the key to great marriage. … Straight talk no hinting around.”
– Aunt T.
“Grandpa and Grandma.”
– Grandpa
“A few words of wisdom —
Always make time for each other.
Never allow “acceptable practice” determine how you live. [Ed. note: huh?]
Stay best friends.
Dream a little.
– Aunt J.
“Marriage is a great institution but who the hell heck wants to be in an institution.”
– Papa
“You guys are great together! There’s not much else I can say. And I can’t offer any advice because, hell, I’m still single! Maybe you can offer me some advice?”
– Cousin S.
“A few thoughts as you start your life together:
Always take the opportunity to make each other laugh. Humor has a way of helping to maintain the proper prospective — I would not recommend this at a funeral, however.
Don’t forget why you fell in love in the first place. Appreciate the truly positive and important attributes that you see in one another because leaving the toilet seat up is not a felony, at least not yet!
As Tolstoy once said, ‘When you love someone, you love the person as they are, and not as you’d like them to be.’
All the best!”
-Dad
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Have you received any marriage advice?
Um, I love your mom. And your whole family. That’s such a great collection to have.
As for us, we didn’t get a whole lot of marriage advice since my family is a bunch of anglo-saxons who don’t talk about anything, but my grandmother gave me this pamphlet when we got married entitled “Tending the Marriage Garden”. The title makes me giggle every time, but it’s got some pretty solid advice.
I love your grandfather’s advice. I think having great marriage role models will help a ton.
Your cousin’s really funny too. LOL
We didn’t get much marriage advice, but I think I’m taking mine from observing John’s parents – they laugh a lot and forgive a lot. So far, we’re at least good at the laughing part.
That scrapbook sounds great, so sweet of your mom.
P.S. Hope your dress arrives so you can dance around the house in it this weekend!
What a great gift! I’m sure it’ll be a book you’ll treasure for a long time.
I think by “acceptable practice” she means what everybody else says they do/says you should do.
Great advice here!
My fave marriage so far was about that apron they gave me–“YOU ONLY WEAR THE APRON!”
Your Aunt T’s advice is awesome. And haaaaaaaaa! at Papa. Lovely idea of your mom’s.
What a wonderful thoughtful gift and full of wonderful advice. thanks for sharing a little bit of it with us.
aw. that’s really sweet. I can’t imagine any of my family doing anything like that. actually, most of them have been divorced too many times for them to want to hand over advice. there are a few couples, like my mom and “stepdad” who never bothered to get married but have been together for 20 years. I would say there is only one couple in our families that are genuinely happily married for about 40 years. whether they want to give us advice or not, I don’t know but they are who I think of when I think of lasting forever with my man. sigh.
I think I adore your family, for the gift and the sentiments. We’ve been thinking of incorporating something like this in the wedding, but I love that they created it for you. Aw.