Today is my anniversary, I have been married to Jenni for 11 years.  Yes, it’s also Pearl Harbor Day.  And if you are unaware, it’s Spouse 2.0 Day.  Back to the post…

I’m blessed to have been married to Jen for this long, and she is an incredibly patient woman to put up with me for more than a decade.  We have been through some crazy adventures together, most recently packing up our family and moving to Los Angeles.  She is a good person, a great mom and a loving wife.

Craig Groeshel recently posted 40 lessons that he has learned in his 40 years on this planet.  In the same spirit I submit for your approval eleven things that I have learned in eleven years of marriage:

1. When presented with the choice of going out with your buddies or staying home and spending time with your wife, choose the latter.  Your buddies won’t remember your choice, your wife will…especially if it is her birthday weekend.
2. Don’t begin a conversation with, “You know, that’s not the way my mother used to cook that…”
3. Speaking of mothers, if your wife asks you if she is starting to look like her mother, the answer is always “no”.  Always.
4. It’s important to notice when she gets her hair done.
5. Bringing flowers home for no reason?  There is no down side.
6. Buying your wife new shoes for no reason?  There is no down side.
7. It’s important to be able to laugh with your wife.  Practice this, build it up.  Watch funny movies together, understand each other’s humor.  Life will present plenty of opportunities to cry and be angry, laughter is the catalyst that will get you through the tough times.
8. Pedicures as a couple will relieve stress 10x faster than anything else.
9. When kids enter the picture, let her sleep in when an opportunity arises.  Men, wake up early on the weekends and take the kids downstairs.  Not only will you get to watch cartoons with your children (yay for Bugs Bunny!), but that extra bit of rest will turn your wife into a new woman.
10. Say “I love you”, face to face, at least once a day.
11. Pray together regularly.

Of course there are many more, but that would defeat the purpose of 11 in 11.  Add some pearls of your own if you would like…