Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, the heads of the 19 Kids and Counting family, have been married for many years already, but they have managed to keep the romance alive by continuing to go on dates with each other over the years.
Michelle shared in her blog that their busy schedules sometimes keep them from spending quality time together, but Jim Bob really makes an effort to whisk her away from the daily grind.
"If we've got something happening on our regular date night, Jim Bob usually will just call me up on a weekday and ask me out on a date. It's really sweet, he'll call up and say, 'Hey, can I come and steal you away for a date?'" she shared.
Michelle said that dates don't have to be expensive in order to be enjoyable. She and Jim Bob find great enjoyment just going for a drive and talk to each other. "It's so nice when it's quiet and there are no interruptions. We really enjoy that because we're not around a lot of people then, and we can catch up with each other," she said.
Sometimes, they go out for coffee or ice cream, which Michelle considers as her "weekly sweet treat," while there are times they enjoy a really nice meal.
Michelle loves the fact that Jim Bob is so spontaneous, even though she isn't. "I like to plan ahead and think about it for days and always have my ducks in a row. But I've learned to just jump and go; it's so much more fun that way," she said.
At first, Michelle said that their differences caused some rifts in their relationship, but the more they got to know each other, the more flexible and understanding they became towards one another. She began thinking that if she kept on dismissing Jim Bob's suggestions, she would be "squelching" his creativity and fun spirit.
"I had to let go of that urge to plan everything. And when I did, it brought such a wonderful new dimension to our marriage," she said.
