By Ashley McIlwain Communication. It’s such a key component to every relationship, and yet, it’s also one of the most challenging. Many couples report problems in their relationship where communication has broken down. The issue is then perpetuated and escalated by the continued breakdown of their ability to converse about it. The inability to communicate
By Ashley McIlwain Most of the articles I write talk about loving and appreciating your spouse. Fighting for your marriage. Constantly working to be a better spouse and have a better marriage. But all too often I hear stories and receive questions about a one-sided effort. “I’m trying, but my husband doesn’t want to work
By Steve McIlwain Hubs here. I recently started a new job. It’s been fun getting to know my new co-workers and begin forging new relationships. That means work projects, lunches, doing things outside of work, and just general chic-chat. Typically we’ll discuss our upcoming weekend plans and a recent series of responses caught my attention.
By Ashley McIlwain Do you want to know my favorite thing about being married? The simple pleasures that come with it. There are so many wonderful benefits of marriage. Research shows a plethora of mental and physical health benefits, and of course there are other huge pluses like more financial stability, shared responsibility, and the
By Ashley McIlwain Husbands are interesting creatures. They are so different from us women in too many ways to count, and while that can be incredibly frustrating, it’s also a wonderful blessing. They can make our day, and they can turn our world upside down. They can make us feel like we’re the most loved
By Ashley McIlwain Inevitably, as a couple, you will make many big decisions during the course of your relationship. From whether to get married, what kind of wedding you’ll have, kids or no kids, how many kids, where to live, when to buy a house, what kind of house to buy, how to handle finances,
By Ashley McIlwain Recently I shared a list of things I wish men knew, but now it’s time for some candid girl talk. Ladies, we have some things we need to discuss. When I look around, I see a lot of women pointing the finger at men as the source of all discontentment and issues.
By Ashley McIlwain I sat down at my pool hoping to catch a few rays, but more importantly, to snag some relaxation. As I cozied into an open lawn chair prepared to attempt a mental vacation, my “trip” was interrupted by a group of middle aged guys talking. They weren’t far from me, and considering
By Ricinda Perry We have all been there … challenges with our in-laws. While reading this article, keep in mind that when you married your spouse, his or her family became your family. When we were dating, we liked to show the good side of our family and the good side of our spouse to
By Ashley McIlwain Growing up, birthdays were always a pretty big deal in my home. If you were the birthday girl, it was all about you that day. As a kid that meant simple yet special privileges like getting to answer the phone the entire day, being the one to get the mail, and no
