We’re starting a new year and I’m still married to Ryan Van Wagenen… #winning
Ryan and I were talking last night and we both feel so blessed for our great marriage and how long we’ve been able to stand each other so far. Being married isn’t always New Years Eve and all roses and great life. There are times where you struggle. There are times where you struggle individually and also together. It’s cool to grow close with someone and learn all the good and bad about someone. Their strengths become your strengths and their weaknesses become your weaknesses. Through the good times and the bad you vow to love and always be there for each other.
We’ve known each other since 2012 and felt an immediate closeness upon meeting. Although our relationship is not perfect, we both try really hard to make it as good we can. I have to tell you that I am so lucky to have such a genuinely good person as my husband. I hope he feels the same about me ;). Before I get too sappy here, below are a few goals that we made together a couple days ago for 2018.
1. Date night WEEKLY! We have been pretty good at this, but we want to continue the date night and GO OUT together every Friday night. We are going to rotate (Ryan has even weeks and I have odds… Ryan insisted I take the odd ones, haha)… We get to plan a solo date and a group date for each other every month. So overall we get two solo dates and two group dates a month. This is critical to keeping the relationship fresh and on point!
2. Philanthropy – “Because we have been given much, we too much give” Right? We hear it a lot, yet we don’t do it anywhere near enough. We decided that the first Saturday of the month will include doing something charitable for the community. One random idea that we had was in the winter, going by and asking the homeless if they need a sweater or if there was anyway they could help them (non-monetarily). It just feels better to help people in service and with something rather than just giving them money.
3. Family, Family, Family! We love our family so much! So we have decided… It’s time to show them how much we do. Once a month! We decided that once a month we are going to send a package with a letter from each of us and a treat of some kind to a family member. What feels better than a personal note and some sort of thoughtful gift showing someone you love them? Answer, not much… So we’re going to do this around the first of each month.
4. Cook together. Ryan and I have made great strides in this area in 2017 and we hope to only improve. We are going to take a cooking class. We found a Groupon and decided once a quarter (aka four times a year) we would swing by the local cooking school and learn a new dish. We are eating so healthy these days that we are getting too picky to have the variety we need. We literally eat salmon, quinoa, and broccoli three times a week. We are hoping to get that down to once a week in 2018 and beyond.
Not sure how many people read it, but this blog is awesome to keep our memories and in this case be able to hold ourselves accountable for goals and big things that we want to do in the future. Love you, Ryan Van Wagenen, and lets do big things in 2018!
Lisa and Ryan Van Wagenen – Date Night Every Week – 2018 Goals 
Lisa and Ryan Van Wagenen – Cooking Together – 2018 Goals 
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