Date 3: I Can't Wait to Get Home

Are you intentional about connecting with your spouse, even when a date isn’t part of your evening plans?

Date Night #3- I Can't Wait to Get Home

You'd stop what you're doing to make a guest feel welcome in your home, so why wouldn't you do the same for your beloved?

Mornings are incredibly chaotic and the workday may be even busier. So, what about evenings? What does your household look like when everyone returns from work, school, shopping and all of the other activities of the day? Are you intentional about connecting with your spouse, even when a date isn’t part of your evening plans?

As you go about your evening routine, there are opportunities to invest in the health and vitality of your marriage. As soon as your spouse walks in the door, you can make an effort to greet them warmly with a kiss. This may require momentarily putting dinner on hold or putting aside the kids’ homework, but it sets a positive tone for the evening that says “I value you—you’re more important than anything else I may be doing at the moment.”

The opportunities for connection and intimacy might involve working on dinner together, spending time with the kids together and helping them get ready for bed and enjoying some downtime together. This process culminates when you both crawl into bed. Before going to sleep, you can intentionally and specifically express gratitude and appreciation toward your spouse. This might be a good time to pray together. Give each other a goodnight kiss - like you mean it- even on those nights when it's not leading toward sexual intimacy.

DATE NIGHT

You’ve succeeded in getting the second and third dates with your spouse—keep up the good work! You might show affection for one another by holding hands, cuddling and stealing kisses. And you can protect your date night from conflict by setting aside arguments until a later time.

Step 1: I won’t have the usual.

Instead of eating the same food, trying a different type of cuisine will help start conversation and increase the sense of adventure.

Step 2: Do you have plans for the evening?

Over dinner, discuss your family's evening routine. What things can you do to stay connected as you engage in your evening responsibilities? Here are just a few ways to stay connected:

• Greeting your spouse with a kiss when he or she walks in the door!
• Making dinner together
• Helping the kids get ready for bed together
• Enjoying some downtime together - watching a favorite TV show, reading and discussing a book, playing a board game 
• At bedtime, sharing words of affirmation and praising for your spouse (this is most effective when you mention specific details)
• Sharing specific requests and pray together
• Kissing goodnight - like you mean it

Step 3: More fun and games!

After you’ve discussed ways to stay better connected throughout your evenings, it’s time for another fun Date Night activity! You might consider one of the following activities:

• Singing karaoke together at a restaurant
• Playing laser tag or paintball
• Sharing a milkshake or banana split at an old-fashioned diner
• Volunteering at a local non-profit organization or shelter
• Finding a book or downloading an app about constellations and venturing outside for some stargazing

Step 4: Just relax.

After your activity, you might decide to find a quiet place for dessert or coffee. This might be a good time to discuss the following questions with positive, uplifting and encouraging responses.

• What was your favorite part of the evening?
• What did you learn about me tonight that you didn't know before?
• What did you learn about me tonight that you didn't know before?
• What are some ways I can make you feel loved and affirmed while we're at home during the evening hours?

Step 5: Home Sweet Home

As you drive home, you can spend time planning your next date and thinking about other ways to enrich your marriage amid busyness of your evening routine. Once you get home, however, it's up to you what happens next. Make it memorable!

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