Creating a Happy Family Life.

This article entited "The 5 Secrets of Happy Families," by Barbara Rowley, in Parenting magazine offers some insightful tips:

1. Express gratitude to yourself and those around you even if you have to fake it.

2. Try to be satisfied with your choices instead of constantly trying to maximize or second-guess them. Do not compare yourself to others. Limiting your options and those of your family helps.

3. Focus yourself and family members on moments of joy in your past, present and future.

4. Spread out special experiences and treats like toys, clothing and vacations to create contrast, anticipation and appreciation.

5. Nurture your inner circle of friends and family, because your relationships, not your money or success, bring you happiness and satisfaction.

Chivalry is not Chauvinistic or Dead.

I read this article from The Frisky web site on CNN's web site about why men should buy flowers for their romantic partner. But it could apply to any thoughtful gesture between a couple. Not to brag, but my husband is really good at this. I could be better.

The point the author was trying to make is that buying your partner flowers, their favorite dessert/junk food or a trinket that they swooned over in a catalog or while shopping recently demonstrates that you were thinking about them when they weren't there. You were not thinking about your anger or how much they irritate you but of how you could make them happy. How purely loving and romantic, especially if you are not merely 'a courting each other.

Happy Anniversary to us!

Happy 2nd Wedding Anniversary to us! What a year together it has been. C surprised me at work today with pink daisies and lavender tulips, and we went to lunch together as a family. We will not get to see much of each other tonight, as C has orchestra rehearsal. Fortunately, we already had our fancy night out 2 weeks ago at a steakhouse at the MGM Grand, Detroit while my Grandma Rosalie and Aunt Elaine babysat Kate.

I love you, Sweetheart! I remain grateful that you chose me.

The Story of Us

I was ruminating last night over the fact that Kate Monster would not exist if C and I never met. Although he thinks we still would have met somehow otherwise, if it was not for a dating web site, we would have never known each other.

At 25, I moved back to Michigan after completing law school in Indiana to be closer to my parents, siblings and extended family. I felt sad to leave some strong intellectual and emotional friendships behind along with some unrequited romantic love. Most of my high school and college friends had similarly taken career and education paths that moved them out of state, so I had to create a whole new adult social circle.

I reconnected with a few people via a high school alumni site that led to finding a new, close girlfriend and opened the door to all of her many friends. Then I began trying out new dating web sites on and off for 3 years with varying results. I met a guy who revealed he was not wearing any underwear towards the end of our first meeting, a guy who began rubbing my calf over drinks and many others for whom there was no romantic connection. Fortunately, I also got two long time friends out of the deal. Unfortunately, I grew a bit down on finding lasting love, too.

In October 2004, I traveled to California to stand up in the wedding of my good friends, N and S. Their love story inspired me. They complemented each other and built a strong, affectionate and respectful friendship that I admired and wanted for myself. It finally occurred to me that, if they found it after exiting other painful relationships, I could, too. I returned to Michigan reinvigorated and optimistic. One week later, C sent me an e-mail in response to my profile, and we soon began corresponding.

I looked forward to our frequent e-mail banter every day. After about a month, we spoke on the phone and arranged a first date. Having been through this before, I just hoped that we also had an in-person romantic connection.

In early December 2004, we met for dinner and a comedy show in the Detroit area. I spied him waiting and watching for me in his trench coat and blue shirt, adorable blue eyes sparkling. Over dinner, he reached over to touch my arm, and I knew we also shared the elusive sparks. We spent every weekend together after that for a year, switching off between our homes that were over an hour apart. He cooked me fantastic dinners and desserts, introducing me to new wines and new flavors. We planned all of the outings we had wanted to do with someone special in the past and enjoyed them thoroughly.

On the anniversary of our first date, he proposed with his Grandma's antique engagement ring, we moved in together 3 months later, and we married on an uncommonly warm April evening 16 months after he proposed.