Marriage- “Mawiage, it’s what bwings us togethew, today.”

Couldn’t resist a favorite quote from a favorite movie! We love the Princess Bride! However, this post isn’t about the Princess Bride though it is about love and marriage.  The following song and story I heard in 2013 and it is truly a wonderful example of a good marriage.

Sweet Lorraine

How can you not be touched by this sweet man who loved his wife so much! Every time I watch this or listen to the song it brings tears to my eyes. It is just so sweet!

Fred Stobaugh entered a song writing contest with Green Shoe Studio when he was 96 years old. His wife had recently passed away and he was missing her so much! They had been married for almost  73 years! What an amazing accomplishment. The lyrics are simple but you can feel how very much he loved and missed her!

Clearly, he was thinking about all the wonderful memories they had created together. The main chorus is “I wish we could do all the good times, over again.”

Here is a link to the whole story about how his love letter to his wife was made into this beautiful song.

Fred and Lorraine

This song gets stuck in my head. There is just something about expressions of love put to music!

Sweet Lorraine – Listen to the song here. Click this link to download the song.

What are you doing in your marriage so that you and your spouse “wish you could do all the good times, over again”?

Even in Fred’s song which has so much love that comes through it; you can tell it wasn’t all sunshine and giggles.  However, the good times outshine the bad. The good times aren’t just those vacations you take or times when you are spending a lot of money. The good times are also all the little things that make up your relationship.

For me:

• It’s the way he always tries to make me laugh.
• That he’ll tie my shoes when they come undone.
• That he tickles me when he puts his scruffy chin on my neck.
• That he wants to hold my hand, even after 26 years of being married.
• Going on walks together.
• The kind and patient husband and father he is to me and our girls.
• How hard he works to take care of our family.
• The way he goes along with my crazy ideas.
• That he is willing to drop everything to come to my rescue and help me.

What are the special little things in your marriage?

*I had to step away from my blog and my husband was helping me with some other parts of it. When I came back he was being really silly and said some things; which led me to asking if he had read the post I was working on. He said he hadn’t, but I’m not sure I believe him, so I asked, “Are you sure?” His reply was, “Maybe I should. What is it about. . . enduring your spouse when they act weird?” LOL!

Enriching the Good Times

Vacations, get aways, and activities are a great way to enrich your marriage and family. However, even those aren’t as fun and enjoyable if there is fighting and tension.

• Find a way to serve your spouse (This is why I let my shoes come untied and why I make him breakfast in the morning.)
• Be kind
• Be helpful
• Be loving
• Be tender
• Be thoughtful
• Be tolerant
• Be compassionate
• Show empathy
• Listen
• Be someone he/she can trust
• Be honest, but not brutally
• Be quick to laugh and slow to anger
• Laugh together

 

Inspiring Examples of Love

Outpouring for Fred

Fred’s story has inspired many around the world! It reminds me that I want my husband and I to be able to look back on all the good times and wish we could do it all over again! This story makes me think about whether or not we are creating enough of those good times, together.

Look at the outpouring Fred Received from this wonderful 7^th grade class!

Maybe the reason I love Fred’s story so much is because it reminds of me of the examples that were set for me. Most particularly, my great grandparents.

Waldo and Hazel Barker

They went to school together. However, he was a couple of years older than her. Waldo was born in 1901 and Hazel in 1904. He was engaged to marry another girl, they both went to school with, but she was hit by a car and killed before they were able to marry. 3 years later he and Hazel were married.

They raised 4 children; 3 boys and 1 girl. Those boys were really close, great friends and quite the handful!

Hazel was a working woman, during a time when a lot of women didn’t work outside the home.

Waldo got his license to be a barber and opened up a barbershop. Hazel later went to school and got her license to be a beautician and eventually they had a barbershop/beauty parlor. They were able to keep the baby close in a playpen and there was an extra room where the boys started their own business! The boys business was to fix bikes.

Eventually, the boys lost their room to work in and ended up working behind the building because Hazel needed the room for her beauty parlor. The women didn’t like the men to see them getting their hair done and wanted more privacy.

When Hazel and Waldo reached the age where you retire and are looking forward to traveling; Hazel had a stroke. She was paralyzed from the waist down. A few years later another stroke paralyzed her from the neck down. Waldo was always by her side. He was a kind and loving care giver.

“As you wish”, what he meant was, “I love you.” –Princess Bride

As a child, I watched how grandpa cared for and loved grandma. He was always happy and never cross, nor did he ever seem irritated. Waldo dressed her, bathed her, fed her and took care of all of her needs. She couldn’t do anything for herself and he was happy to serve her and be her hands.

Hazel wanted to get things and do things for her grandchildren and great grandchildren but couldn’t and so she always sent him to  do what she couldn’t. He was more than happy to do anything she asked.

Grandpa was a fantastic cook! Best pie maker ever! His lemon meringue pie was one of my favorites! The meringue part of the pie isn’t my favorite; his lemon meringue pie was the only one that I liked. I think he spoiled me for any other lemon meringue pie! This Creamy Lemon Pie reminds me of his pie (but of course it is missing the meringue). He was amazing and could do anything!

His Influence

Waldo’s influence and example made me think a lot about what kind of man I wanted to marry. I wanted someone like him: loving, patient, kind and devoted to his partner. A man that no matter what happened in our lives and illnesses that we might have to work through, would be there for me and I for him. I found a man just like grandpa; kind, gentle, patient and loving. He has been through so much with me already and I thank grandpa for helping me to find the right one, through his example.

“You Only Go Around Once”

What are you doing in your marriage so that you and your spouse wish you could do the good times all over again? Who inspires you?