Toothpaste and marital bliss.
February 21, 2013 § 6 Comments
My husband hates toothpaste spit.
Hates it. Has a visceral reaction to it.
Cringes, shivers, and has to walk away at the threat of its presence.
I remember when I learned this about him. This outdoorsy, could be covered head-to-toe in dirt without noticing, may or may not be wearing the same t-shirt today as he was yesterday, kind of guy. Game for diving into unknown situations and substances in the name of getting a job done and generally unaware of the smells, textures, and tasks that would have the rest of us running. His threshold for what grosses him out is absurdly high.
But he cannot handle toothpaste spit.
The even funnier thing is that doesn’t seem to stop him from leaving it in the sink. We’ve chatted once or twice about this interesting dissonance and how it bugs me to no end to be the one coming in to clean behind him. Sometimes I find it entertaining and other times I can’t think of anything more infuriating.
It’s one of those habits you come to know well in marriage.
In the end, it makes no sense to me, but it’s the man I married.
As I dive into a new project for newlyweds, I’m thinking back on those first surprises, those unexpected moments in the first days of marital bliss. I remember how good it felt to hear two simple words: “Me,too.”
From the little things–toothpaste and other habits, chores, sharing the remote and sharing space–to the big ones–money, family, schedules, and fighting fair–there is a lot to adjust to.
Do you have any thoughts to share with a newlywed? Surprises, anecdotes, misconceptions you’d like to debunk? Or are you, yourself, curious about something in particular for the days after you say “I do?” Let’s talk.
Leave a comment or contact me here. I’d love to hear about it and get the conversation going!
No one had a problem with my husband’s toothpaste habits before I shared his bathroom and since then, we’ve learned plenty more about each other. And I don’t think we’ll be slowing down soon.
Marriage is a funny thing, all the change and discovery. So let’s encourage each other in it, shall we??
thischickadee 
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It always seems to be the little things that make us irritated with eachother! As a newlywed, I think I expected we’d have disagreements over BIG stuff, but that’s not always true. It’s frequently everday things like dirty socks in the car (him), not putting lids on all the way (me), or leaving 1/2 a bite of food in the skillet for fear of taking the last helping (him). Sometimes those daily things can reveal deeper issues, though.
I love this- it’s so true, how we think that we’re in for the “big stuff” but it comes down to the Hallmark Channel (me), driving (him), and who makes dinner. Thanks for your insight!
My husband has always had this weird thing about how his shirts are hung up. He only uses wooden hangers and they all have to face the same direction. Of course he piles all his dirty jeans in a corner instead of putting them in the hamper so I have no idea…lol!
Erin! Too funny! Aren’t we such different creatures from our husbands? All with our quirks. What’s interesting is how many conversations I’ve had with friends about clothes and laundry especially. We’re not alone! Thanks for commenting. 🙂