Couple of the Month: #TeamRichards

Every month, Sheridan and I want to feature a married couple of the week. We know many of these couples personally. Others we have come to admire from afar. Either way, we appreciate happy and healthy marriages. Ones that recognize the messiness of marriage and still commit to lifelong partnership.

We’ll start by telling you a little bit about ourselves. We’ll always ask our couples to submit a photo that best represents their marriage. This would be our photo that best captures who we are. Take a few minutes to learn a bit more about our story.

1. How long have you been married?

14 years.

2. When did you know they were the one (include his version of the story vs. her story)?

Her: He was easy to be around–there was no pressure to entertain or be “on.” I’d never met anyone I found so much joy just being with. It didn’t matter what we did or where we went–just being together was (and still is) super cool.

Him: When I saw those long legs…it was all over but the shouting.

3. What are some of the things you do to keep your relationship growing (and spicy)?

Her: Quality time is everything to us. We’re also intentional about learning one another as we grow together by asking probing questions.

Him: We try to carve out times for date days. Date nights cost too much. So we plan dates during the day. That either means taking days off that coincide with one another or having lunch with each other at a restaurant near our jobs.

4. What part of marriage wound up being pleasantly surprising for you as a couple?

Her: Every phase of marriage (before kids, raising kids, changing careers, relocations) has been different–yet incredibly special.

Him: The honeymoon night was good and all, but we’ve found that the bedroom is like fine wine. It gets better with time!

5.  What would you say is the most challenging thing about being married?

Her: I see the “unloveable” parts of myself more clearly through marriage. You can’t avoid seeing that if you’re truly going to be all in.

Him: Your spouse knows you better than anyone else. Sometimes, that’s a good thing. Other times, that means they know how to push your buttons to upset you.

6. If you could name one thing that brought you the most joy as a married couple what would it be?

Her: Encouraging one another to grow into all that God has called us to be.

Him: Raising godly children who tell us all the time that they want to marry someone like us.