Happy Monday, everyone!
Sorry for the lack of posts the past couple of days. Marshall and I spent a WONDERFUL, all expenses paid (thanks 3rd Brigade!) weekend at Myrtle Beach, for their pre-deployment Marriage Retreat. And we had a BLAST!
The retreat was based around the book “The Five Love Languages” by Gary Champman. If you have never read this book, I highly recommend it! It is a must read, and will change your relationship, even if yours is rock solid. I had read this book last year, on a recommendation from my therapist, and had been begging Marshall for MONTHS to read it as well. So, this was a perfect crash course for him!
View from our room!
In the book, Chapman discusses that we all have “love tanks,” and that we all speak different “love languages.” When the right love language is not spoken to us, then our love tanks start to become empty, and we start to become bitter towards our significant other. In turn, they may be speaking what they THINK is the right language to us, and in turn, are left feeling rejected or confused because they think they are doing all the right things.
Our first task was to figure out which love language we spoke, as well as what love language our spouses spoke, thanks to a handy dandy test (included with the book). For instance, I’m a “Quality Time” gal, while my husband is more “Physical Touch.” There are three other languages as well. We then spent our time in hour long sessions detailing the five love languages, as well as what we can do as spouses to help our significant others speak our language, and what they can do as well.
It was a GREAT weekend. Marshall and I both learned a lot about each other, and I think that this will help change the course of our marriage (not that it was on a bad course to begin with!) And with the looming deployment (its official: three and a half weeks and counting!), we got some great ideas. Not going to lie, Physical Touch and Quality Time are probably the two hardest to do when you’re thousands of miles apart!! But like I said, we got some good ideas.
Hello Mr. Sea Turtle!
We also had a lot of down time. I love Myrtle Beach! Marshall and I got engaged there a couple of years back, and hadn’t been back since, so this was a great weekend for us. We did the Margaritaville thing one night, hit up a couple of cool brewery’s (Marshall loves the brewery’s!), got started on a little bit of our Christmas shopping (i know, i know …) and went to the Ripley’s Aquarium. NOT worth the $20 that it costs you to get in, but WORTH the $5 it cost after the military discount. That’s right … Ripley’s gives military a 75% discount at all of their locations. Good to know, right?! OH! And I did get to pet a STING RAY! They are slimey, and icky, and I would probably never do it again, but it was still cool 
Anyways … I’m glad to be back home, and glad to be back at work. Plus, we missed our dogs. We couldn’t pick them up until this morning, and it was very lonely without them last night! Marshall has today off still, so he’s being a bum at home, playing with the pups, and probably playing World of Warcraft. Like I said … he’s a bum
Oh, and on another note, my blog made it all the way over to an army.mil site somehow. Not quite sure how, but thanks! I love new readers, and welcome if thats how you got here!
Hope everyone has a great Monday!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
We almost went to that retreat, but my husband had friends coming from CT to visit before the deployment. Sounds like fun. I read that book last year too and it is on the money! Makes a big difference in understanding not only your partner but youself and own needs.
Have you gotten orders to know that 3 weeks is definite? I HAVE to have this baby soon then! 9 months yesterday….
Sex and the City was pretty good…not too many surprises but it was nice to watch the girls again.
Girl you’re ready to POP!!!!! You will definitely have the baby before they take off!
And, I guess I shouldn’t have said “official.” It’s more the unofficial official news. We were told this weekend that orders have been issued, they are just making their way down the chain at this point. But they made it no secret as to when they would be leaving. So … i’m just preparing for that. It’s easier that way
Then, if they stick around a little while longer, then BONUS!