Appreciation Goes Both Ways

Always show your spouse how much you appreciate them.  I came home from a weekend away to a sweet surprise from my husband!  First of all, we are both fascinated with interior design and gardens.  Our idea of a relaxing afternoon at home is defined by two glasses of wine and HGTV!   So imagine my amazement when my son, daughter and I walked in to find that he had single-handedly painted the kitchen, painted and redecorated the dining room and refreshed our front yard garden!  My heart melted because these are the not-so little things that make me happy.  He did all this in a weekend to surprise us!  So...how do I plan on showing my appreciation?  Well a fancy homemade dinner in our newly decorated dining room is definitely in order!  I will make his favorite meal and dessert.  I will also plan a surprise for him that I won't mention on here for fear that he might read this blog and spoil the surprise.

These are the types of things that keep our relationships going strong; the spontaneous gestures and surprises.  But most times, spouses just want to hear and see that they're appreciated.  One should never assume that the other knows.  Everyone wants to hear that they are loved and appreciated ever so often.

The other day I was reminiscing on my children's infant milestones.  I smiled as I recalled that it was my husband that taught my son and daughter to sit up at 5-6 months and he also taught them how to climb down off the bed and how to climb/slide down the stairs at 12 months. Those were great moments because he literally showed both of them once and then that was the first and last lesson! He thought it was important that they learn how to climb down as opposed to falling down.  Right that instant, I felt the need to send him a text message and telling him how much of a great father he was and how blessed we were to have him.  He responded with a big smiley face saying that I made his day.  Love and appreciation doesn't always have to be these huge displays of affection.  Sometimes it's the small things that matter most.  Tell a loved one that you appreciate them and you're guaranteed to make their heart soar!