by Susanne M. Alexander | May 3, 2016 | Communication, Family, Friendship, Marriage
Hospitality is an opportunity to help people feel welcome in your home. It spreads happiness when you smile, offer refreshments, and help people feel comfortable. Have you had anyone over recently? There is an effect on you as well. I notice my husband and I feel...
by Susanne M. Alexander | Aug 12, 2015 | Family, Marriage
I feel like I have just given birth. Being a stepmother is like being in labor over time, and in my case, I’ve inherited my stepchildren already fully grown. But, they are still maturing and finding their paths in life. Over the last weeks, I’ve poured a tremendous...
by Susanne M. Alexander | May 27, 2015 | Character, Communication, Family, Marriage
It’s relentless. For the last few months, I’ve been traveling and responding to the needs of critically ill relatives. When I’ve been home, the piles of needs insisting on being met grow like a well-fertilized garden. Each day has calls and emails with more problems...
by Susanne M. Alexander | May 16, 2015 | Character, Communication, Dating, Family, Marriage Preparation, Uncategorized
When I travel, I occasionally pick up a light-reading romance novel that I can leave behind in airplanes or hotels. After reading one, I notice I am feeling resistant to the popular notion of “instant relationships”. It is the norm in these books for the couple to be...
by Susanne M. Alexander | Dec 19, 2014 | Communication, Family, Marriage
Money is often a challenge for couples to talk about. Every aspect of money decisions has links to emotions and personal history. It is easy for fear, envy, anger, and more to be triggered. This first year of marriage has had many financial complexities as Phil and I...
by Susanne M. Alexander | Oct 6, 2014 | Character, Family, Marriage
It’s easy to think you know your spouse well. However, there are always deeper opportunities. It’s also easy to get busy and lose track of important details. Over the summer I was sorting through some of my husband Phil’s boxes long stored in the garage. Included were...
