Thursday, November 12, 2009

Letters to Each Other

Friends, we are so excited to have Amanda Stringham blooming with us today. When we heard the premise behind her romantic new blog, we asked if she would share it with all of you. We can't think of a better time of year to rekindle the expression of love and gratitude in a marriage!


When my hubby and I were first married, we lived in perpetual bliss! (As I assume most newlyweds do.) We loved being together and dreaded spending time apart, especially as we headed off to work each morning. I remember very early on, having to leave early one day, and not wanting to wake him, I left a little note on a Post-It on the steering wheel of his truck.

And so it began.

We started a note-writing love affair. You know, notes left on the kitchen counter, in a lunch box, on the white board or on the bathroom mirror. It was always such a pick-me-up to get a little love note written by my sweetie, and I found myself looking forward to coming home and discovering yet another scribble.

Then...

Somewhere between Mike running his business, our other part-time job, our church responsibilities, the (never-ending) housework, and our five children (and everything that comes along with them), we stopped being note writers.

It's so easy to lose yourself to all your responsibilities and have nothing left at the end of the day to give your spouse. It's so easy to forget how you once waited with baited breath for your deary to come walking through the door at the end of the day. It's so easy to give yourself so fully to your precious little children that your emotional reserves are all but depleted.

Just recently, I recognized that I was in one of these slumps, and quite frankly, had been for a while. I started thinking about all those notes that had meant so much to me before.

I loved those notes. I missed those notes.
I wanted those notes again.


That's when what I can only call pure inspiration came and I decided to start yet another blog. Yes, really. This one's entitled, Letters To Each Other, and that's exactly what it is. A blog completely privatized, just for Mike and I to leave notes to each other on. It's not a Post-It on the steering wheel , or an "I *heart* U" drawn on the fogged up bathroom mirror. It's better that that, because one day when Mike and I have passed on, our children will have a record of their mom & dad's love affair. What better legacy to leave to your children than for them to know the depth of love and gratitude their parents had for each other?

I can't think of anything sweeter.

7 comments:

Joan said...

Amanda, SUCH a romantic idea...the blog devoted to your feelings for each other. I too love "love notes" and have "trained" my husband to frequent leaving them here and there for me :) He is far better at it than I am now (sad but true).
Thank you for sharing this with us...you've inspired me today--my husband has already left for work (he left me a note this morning that made me giggle like a teenage girl)...but I think an email is in order! It may even be a little sexy! ;) haha.

Natalie said...

One time for our anniversary Matt left little tiny post it notes around the entire house that said "I love you" on them. They were everywhere. Even on a can of beans in the pantry. I found them for weeks. It meant so much to me. I still remember finding one in my wallet about 2 months after our anniversary. It meant a lot more than a vase of flowers ever could. :)

Unknown said...

We have a notebook that we pass back and forth. Instead of greeting cards, we write to each other in this journal. It's fun to peek and see if the other has used it recently. We also have one for each of our kids that we write in for their birthdays and other special occasions.
Also...we have a love note written to each other that we keep in the place where it was hidden in the first place. It is fun to find it again and remember how we felt 7 years ago :)
Great idea...I definitely need to remember to actually use these ideas!

jeanine said...

What a great idea! Amy Jean... I LOVE the idea of the notebook! I love handwritten notes... (although a blog might be more practical because sometimes it's hard to decipher Rich's handwriting!)

Tasha said...

Oh Amanda, that just made me cry. I love the idea of having that record for your children. They will crave that. When my Mom passed away last year, I wanted so badly to know of the love my parents had for eachother. Especially since my Dad's hasty remarriage pretty much marred any of the few sweet memories we had of their intimacy, and his store-bought Valentine's day cards with nary a written message inside did nothing but confirm our suspicions (even though my Mom kept every single one of them, which at least said something of her feelings for him). This is precisely why I decided to start my blog. I wanted my children to know the little things I did for them that showed each day my love for them, but most importantly, I wanted them to know the little things I did for their Dad (my dear husband) too. Children need that. But I've noticed that for months now, my blog has said very little of loving my husband. Granted, things have been rough financially, which unfortunately mixes into the love life, but it shouldn't stop me. So your post really hit home. Thank you for the little push. You and Mike are so cute.

Savannah said...

How fun! About a month ago my husband and I started something similar. We have two little notebook/journals one for me and one for him, and whenever we feel inspired we write each other little love or thanks notes. There's usually been once a week or so. It's been really nice! It's also helped me realign my way of thinking and look for more things that I love about him or appreciate him doing.

lori said...

Beautiful ideas, everyone! Oh, I just love LOVE!