Anniversaries are super special in my house. I would never have imagined being married to my husband for eighteen years. Real talk, my parents didn't even think my husband Don and I would remain married past the first six months. They expressed this to us more times than I can count. Why would my parents think this, let alone have the nerve to verbalize this to us? Well, the … [Read more...]
How to Stay Together When Your Family and Friends Want You to Divorce
For years, my husband Don and I had an extremely rocky marriage. During those tumultuous years, I confided in a lot of girlfriends. I told them everything he did and did not do. I was painting a picture of him that had them not speaking to him or wanting to be around him. When things were at their worst, I ran my mouth. Straight up. I even convinced myself that I was going … [Read more...]
Why Fighting For My Marriage is the Best Thing I’ve Ever Done
A few years ago, Don and I were at a crossroad in our marriage and we had to decide if we were going to remain married even though we didn’t like each other. It was not easy to live with this question hanging over my head nor was it pretty. The realization that we did not like each other was painful, but we had no idea how to break from it. One day, we decided to have a … [Read more...]
Healthy Black Marriages Do Exist
I stumbled across a Facebook post a couple of weeks ago and found the topic so interesting I had to write about it. The post was in response to all the praise pouring in for rap’s new super couple, Remy Ma and Papoose. It questioned why black folks were acting like we had never seen a happy black couple before. It read as follows: “My Remy and Papoose assessment: Truth be … [Read more...]
Seven Strategies that Saved My Marriage
I’m going to be totally honest with you: sometimes, I am annoyed when folks say they want a marriage like mine and Don’s. What they don’t know is that we experienced many ups and downs in our marriage. The 'downs' seemed to last forever. We’ve experienced the difficulties of blending a family, numerous periods of unemployment, a child going to jail, alcoholism and an emotional … [Read more...]
How God’s Sense of Humor Healed My Blended Family; Plus, 5 Tips for YOU
Many people ask, "how did you make your blended family work?" With so many couples turning to divorce in our society, I can see how this perplexes folks. My prayer is that these five tips will help you in this journey called LIFE. 1. Pray!!!! I am so serious about this. Bringing children and a spouse together is a totally different dynamic, which can make or break a new … [Read more...]
Rocking Out with LaShawn and April Daniels of the Tamar & Vince Show
I recently had the pleasure of chatting it up with the always real, down-to-earth LaShawn and April Daniels, co-stars of the Tamar & Vince show. When I was new to the blogging scene, they were one of the first celebrity couples I interviewed here on this website. I immediately became a superfan and loved what they stood for. I adored how they showed the world that there … [Read more...]
4 Biblical Traits of a Person Ready for Marriage
Marriage is not a game. It is an institution that was invented by God Himself to help accomplish His purpose on the Earth. The institution began with Adam and Eve and has evolved into what it is today. These days, more than ever, people are still getting together and fulfilling God’s intent for man which is to be fruitful and multiply. But, before multiplication happens … [Read more...]
Ready For Wife Life: 5 Things Your Future Husband Wished You Knew
When a man is ready for marriage, there are specific things he looks for in a woman before he decides to commit. Typically, he keeps the criteria for his ideal woman close to he vest. While this strategy works great for him, it can make dating and relationships frustrating and dealing with your man can feel confusing. But by embracing the following 5 secrets, you’ll be able … [Read more...]
3 Things Women Should Never Do to Their Men in Public
With more women becoming successful on their own terms, it’s easy to get caught up in the definition of Ne-Yo’s “Independent Woman” and forget how to be in a healthy relationship with a man. I grew up not really understanding the male ego or how to deal with it. Relationships were just not something we talked about in my home, so I had to make it up as I went. The problem … [Read more...]
The One Thing I Wish I Had Done Before I Got Married
I’ve heard it said that most people prepare more for their wedding than they do for their marriage. In my case, I’d have to say it was true. Weddings are usually exciting, fun-filled events that get everyone caught up—so much so that, often, we don’t take a minute to stop and think about what happens after the honeymoon. I got married at 23. I had just finished college the … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Use Your Phone to Keep the Communication and Sexiness Flowing in Your Marriage
I will be married for two years this November. Super stoked. Getting to a place of peace, respect, and intimacy, though, took a lot of deliberate practice, a lot of mistakes, and a lot of trial and error. (Anyone that says that marriage should be effortless and not require work needs to take a seat…all the way in the back.) In the last two years, I have found that marriage … [Read more...]
The Only Tool You’ll Ever Need to Increase the Amount of Sex, Connection, and Happiness You Experience in Your Marriage
For a while, my husband and I were not on the same page. I felt that we did not go out enough. He felt that we went all of the time. I felt that we were not connecting enough. He agreed: he felt that the number of rolls in the hay could increase even though I was not talking about sex, I was referring to talking. I was tired of the fighting and realized that I did not want … [Read more...]
Fellas: 10 Things She Still Wants to Hear After All These Years
It comes as no surprise that after being together for years, you can unknowingly take your spouse for granted. The courtship should never stop. It should last forever through spontaneity and kind, loving words. I know that I love to feel appreciated, as I'm sure most women do. In addition to FEELING loved and wanted, it's nice to hear it, too! To the guys, here are 10 things … [Read more...]
How I Pulled Off a Surprise Proposal at the Chrisette Michele Concert
I have been dating Tawanna for about a year and a half. Once I knew she was the one, the next step was to decide how to make the proposal happen. There’s a creative side to me that wanted to do something that had never been done before, or something elaborate and entertaining. I also considered maybe it would be best to keep it private and personal. I struggled with a … [Read more...]