Betsy Kerekes shares five fresh ways to show your love and appreciation for your husband.
Covid has required a lot of family togetherness, for good or ill, but hopefully good. I, for one, relished the time my husband was working from home. The difficulty of having a toddler boy, after the relative ease of raising three calm-in-comparison girls, has made me appreciate the luxury of having a co-parent so much more. When patience is running thin for one of us, the other tag teams in to give the first a breather.
I sometimes wonder how I would manage without the help of my husband. This reminds me to not take him for granted and to show him frequently how much I appreciate him.
Here are some quick, simple ways to show your spouse you love him.
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The hidden love note.
When’s the last time you left an “I love you” note in your husband’s briefcase or lunch bag? Is it time to do so again? Maybe beyond a simple “I love you,” could be listing a reason why you love him, or it can be a thank you for something specific he did for you or the family recently. Be creative. One woman I know takes a small bite out of the sandwich she makes for her husband so he’ll think of her fondly when he sees it.
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The inside-joke response.
When my husband or I would text each other, “Love you” during the day, the response was often, “I love you too,” or “you too!” which turned into the shorthand: “U2,” which later morphed into “Bono” and the listing of other singers or bands. Now, out of the blue, I can text, “Jack Johnson” or “Dave Matthews,” and I’ll get back a few X’s and O’s or a kissy face of complete understanding of what I meant by that.
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The random “Happy Birthday!”
Why only wish your spouse a happy birthday one day a year, especially if you have a phone that shoots up balloons when he reads the text? My husband and I have taken to translating our birthdays into a time of day. September 10 is 9:10, October 14 is 10:14, etc. Just about every day my phone dings “on my birthday” with a birthday wish from him and floating balloons. And when he gets busy at work and his message arrives 20 minutes late, I’ll still respond with, “Nailed it!”
Him shooting confetti or fireworks off on my phone by sending me a message of “Happy New Year!” or more fun still: “Happy Chinese New Year,” hasn’t gotten old. I never know what I’m going to get, or, frankly, at what time of day the message will arrive. The point is, we’re thinking of each other. We still love and miss each other. Let your spouse know that frequently too.
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Share that love with your kids.
When you’re out with your kids but not your husband, try having him join you by secret prearrangement. My husband did this at the grocery store. As he came sauntering down the aisle toward us, the kids flipped out like they hadn’t seen him in years. I caught onlookers smiling. They couldn’t deny our love for one another. It served as a great pro-life, pro-family message, too. Who wouldn’t want children when it means more love to go around?
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Appreciate your spouse for everything.
Even if it seems like a given, thank your husband for whatever he does for you and your family. Your life-partner and help-mate is not someone you want to take for granted. If he finishes off the leftovers no one else wanted to eat, gets up first to help a child in need, or notices your coffee is low and refills it for you, show your appreciation. And when able, try to anticipate his needs and do likewise.
Undoubtedly, you and your spouse have your own ways of showing your love for one another. Whatever those methods are, keep them up. And if you want to make things fresh and new, try one of these methods above. There can never be too many ways to say "I love you."
Copyright 2021 Betsy Kerekes
