Last Laughs

Laugh. My husband has a great sense of humor and invariably gets me to succumb to a belly laugh. It’s a great way to end the day.
Camille Lo Sapio
Scotrun, Pennsylvania

A Little Romance

I roll over and kiss my husband good night. We have been married for 12 years and have two small children — a 1 1/2-year-old and a six-year-old — so things can get pretty crazy and time together can lapse. A good-night kiss tells him that I love him, that I find him attractive, and that I’m happy with our life together.
Heather Livingston
Manchester Center, Vermont

I come from a very reserved family when it comes to showing affection, so when my husband kept insisting that we kiss good night each night, I thought he was being a bit ridiculous. He knew I loved him. Why make me roll over after getting comfortable just to kiss? It took me a while to realize its importance in our relationship. It’s a small gesture, but it keeps us connected.
Melisa Feustel
Englewood, Florida

In the Spirit

My husband and I pray together before we fall asleep. It helps us know each other’s worries and also prevents us from taking a grudge to bed.
Mandy McNabb
Winterville, North Carolina

I count my blessings. After 15 years of living a life with no real religion or spirituality in it, I decided to take a small step by slowing myself down at the end of each day and thanking the universe for all the blessings I have in my life. I also think about the people I love and the wishes I have for them. It helps me relax my mind, and I fall asleep either with a smile on my face or with tears of gratitude in my eyes, both of which are blessings unto themselves.
Mae Gibson
Virginia, Minnesota

I believe one of the secrets of life is to be grateful for simple things, so the last thing I do before going to bed at night is say, “Thank you, God, for this comfortable bed.”
Amanda Harrist
Stillwater, Oklahoma

I take off the cross that I wear around my neck. It is very special to me because it bears the emblem of the U.S. Marine Corps (the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor), which I wear in honor of my son, who is a U.S. Marine. As it comes off, I pray for the safety of all our men and women in the military.
Laura Rezner
Verona, Wisconsin

Clean Acts

I never understood why my mother always used to clean the kitchen before she went to bed; she would get a little upset with you if you went to get a midnight snack. Now that I am a wife and a mother, I understand: Waking up to a clean kitchen is like a breath of fresh air.
Allison Roundy
Fayetteville, North Carolina

The Right Thing

I do a “green check,” making sure everything that can be turned off is. We all have to do our part to turn around global warming. Imagine how much energy could be saved if we all checked.
Charselle Hooper
San Rafael, California