Patty and I have been married 32 years today. One thing we’ve learned over the years, sometimes the hard way, is to try to keep debt to a minimum. That’s why it’s particularly gratifying to see our house remodeling nearing completion without taking out a loan. For the past five years we’ve been socking away part of our paychecks to make the larger house a reality. Delayed gratification never felt so good. It’s especially rewarding when people ask, as they have repeatedly done, who is financing the job.
Our remodeled bathroom will have a whirlpool tub to relax our aging bodies and a shower that we can actually move in without bumping our elbows on the walls. A new guest room will be a place for company to relax and have their own bathroom facilities.
Goals are important in marriage. While this isn’t necessarily a spiritual boon (although Patty will be able to use the hospitality suite as a prayer room when vacant), achieving a shared dream can draw a couple closer. Disagreements over what nozzles, windows, light fixtures, and paints to incorporate have been kept to a minimum. And, despite having to go fetch our clothes from the living room every morning, we even drew closer through the upheaval. We removed the wallpaper that we’ve hated for 11 years in the hallway as well as in the existing bathroom. We painted those rooms and made them look much nicer. Togetherness in sweatiness.
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