It’s a new year and I am so excited to really get started on my word of the year! Usually I’ve got a pretty good idea of what word I want to use for the next year by about Thanksgiving time; but this year I had a rough time deciding what I wanted to do. I went back and forth on a list of 10 or so different words each with varying degrees of concreteness (think “engage 2018 vs read 2021–read is far more concrete than engage). But finally I just followed my gut and went with the first word I had considered.
So welcome to Date 2022! This is meant in the very concrete way of: I just want to have way more dates with my love this year! In the past handful of months I have realized just how immensely important it is for Josh and me to just spend time together doing fun things without the kids. Literally every single part of my life is better when I have had a real date with Josh! And I know things are better for him, too. So it’s just a good thing!
At the beginning of our marriage, I felt like every day was a date! We did go out occasionally on “official” dates; but I definitely felt no lack of connection with Josh. But as kids came, it became harder to go out and easier to get too busy/tired to do planned activities together, and so we really slacked off for … years.
But this past autumn, I felt like it was time to change that. So on weekends where we didn’t have a babysitter (most weekends), we committed to doing planned, legit at-home dates. We did great for about a month, and it truly was fabulous! That month was probably the best one of the whole year! But then “fill-in-the-blank” happened and we got out of the habit again. So it’s time to return!
We made the signs above our bed for an at-home date night!
So this goal is marvelously simple, but actually still a decent amount of work. It takes lots of planning and effort to secure a babysitter for 5 kids and then get them/the house ready for that babysitter. And it also takes a lot of effort to plan novel, engaging at-home dates–which is why we didn’t do it for so many years. But that time with Josh and me together is truly transformative for both of us! So I’m super excited to have this be my challenge for the year! The official goal is to have a real date every single week. I will be shocked and delighted if that really happens; but if we get anywhere close to that I know it will be wonderful!
Another at-home date–making pineapple upside down cake!
I love your word! I will have to steal your best date ideas!💛
Date!!! Love it
There are a ton of easy and free ideas for date night at this site- https://www.thedatingdivas.com/. I can’t wait to see all the fun to you two have this year!
Great idea!
If you miss a week, do two the next week, so you don’t fall behind. 💕
Double date??