On Doug Hinderer’s podcast Marriage Unhindered, you'll hear about the four stages of marriage with Pete and Carol Tomaselli, who are Retrouvaille coordinators. You can check out the whole conversation <a href="https://relevantradio.com/2024/10/getting-away-to-heal-your-marriage/">here</a>.   Spoiler alert: marriage isn’t just rainbows and butterflies (shocker, right?). Here’s the gist of the conversation, and it might hit close to home. Let’s talk about those four stages:    Romance    The first stage is the "honeymoon" phase. You know it: butterflies, hearts, and all the "we're going to be this happy forever" feelings. Pete and Carol call this the phase where you're infatuated with your spouse, where even their little quirks are endearing (for now).   Disillusionment    And then, bam! The real world hits, and suddenly that "adorable" thing your spouse did is... not so cute anymore. It's the phase where you realize, "Wait, my spouse is an actual human with flaws!"   Misery    Now, this is where things can get dark. If you don’t address the disillusionment, it festers, and boom: you’re miserable. This is where couples start acting more like roommates than lovers. Things like avoiding communication or drifting apart become way too common. The Tomasellis even mentioned a concept called the "Married Singles Lifestyle," where spouses are busy with everything (work, kids, volunteering) except each other.   Awakening    Finally, there’s hope! The awakening is where you both realize that it's not over, and there’s more to come if you put in the work. It's like a "lightning bolt" moment for some, but for most, it’s a gradual shift where you stop focusing on what’s wrong and start seeing the good. If you stick it out past the misery stage, the chances of having a joyful marriage skyrocket.   Doug shared about a husband who admitted his own mistakes when his wife had an affair. He said he neglected her while being busy with work and other commitments. That realization saved their marriage.   So, what’s the takeaway here? Selfishness is the enemy. If you're both stuck thinking, “You’re supposed to make me happy,” you're in trouble. Marriage is about both of you giving, compromising, and remembering that God needs to be the center.

From Disillusionment to a Deepening of Love (Special Podcast Highlight)

"When you love someone, you want to know all about his life and character, so as to become like him." ‚Äì St. Josemaria 
 St. Josemaria spoke these words about the Lord Jesus, but they also apply to his Blessed Mother, Mary. The more we love Mary, the more we will want to know everything about her so as to become like her. 
 The Maiden of Nazareth is a delightfully imaginative story that will help you get to know the Blessed Virgin Mary -- not as a statue in a church -- but as a living, breathing, human being. It follows her life from her immaculate conception and birth, up through her assumption into heaven, and it introduces you to the various characters that accompanied her along the way: her parents Joachim and Anne, various cousins and relatives, her husband Joseph, Jesus, his apostles, and various disciples and friends. You will feel like you know all of them much better after having read this book! 
 This book is the fruit of many years of contemplating the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its primary source is the author's imagination ‚Äì an imagination fired by the love of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Maiden of Nazareth

In this episode of the Fairest Love podcast, we explored the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence with Katie Hinderer of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="c-link" href="https://www.rosebudsocial.com/">Rosebud Social Strategies</a>. The conversation examines the promises and pitfalls of AI—how it’s changing education, shaping relationships, and influencing family routines. Katie offers thoughtful insights into how parents can approach AI with discernment, emphasizing the importance of setting boundaries and protecting real-life connection. We also discussed how families can foster creativity, virtue, and intentional time together in an increasingly tech-driven world.

S5 Ep. 31 - Managing AI and Protecting Family Time in a Digital World with Katie Hinderer

February is the season of love, so this week we are talking with Jordan Langdon from Families of Character to discuss how we can cultivate a giving mindset in ourselves, with our spouses and in our children!Find Jordan at: <a href="https://www.familiesofcharacter.com">https://www.familiesofcharacter.com</a>Extra Resources:<a href="http://www.familiesofcharacter.com/">"The Best Me I Can Be" Kids Journal</a> for kids age 5-11 to develop a GIVING Mindset<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/ThriveCommunitybyFOC">The Thrive Community by Families of Character</a> Private Parenting Facebook Group<a href="http://www.familiesofcharacter.com/">Subscribe to our email newsletter</a> for FREE weekly printables like our Giving Mindset printable, Grit Interviews, Date Night Ideas