Weak Start, Strong Finish: Nathan & Bonnie

For Nathan and Bonnie Morris, the fight to save their marriage was also a battle for the well-being of their children and the future of their family.

Young and in love, Nathan and Bonnie married without any idea of what it meant to nurture a relationship. After seven years of poor communication and neglecting time together, their marriage was in a crisis and divorce looked inevitable. However, there was someone else to consider—their son was just one month old and he needed both mommy and daddy. Though devastated by her own pain, Bonnie was desperate to save her young family.

When Bonnie asked Nathan to attend The Marriage School, he was skeptical that anything would help, but he agreed to go. As Nathan watched and listened to the other couples in the group, he realized, “We aren’t the only ones going through this.” The openness and support of the community gave them real skills and it also gave them hope. “It was such a blessing to find The Marriage School, and other couples who had been through the long haul to help us through,” Bonnie reflects.

She recalls, “The biggest issue for me was just the concept of cleaning up my side of the street. For so long I was only focused on what he needed to change. It was almost like a victim mentality. I was just reacting to his behavior and I wasn’t really looking at my own behavior. I realized that some of his actions might not be okay, but my reactions were just as damaging to our marriage.” Seeing Bonnie start to clean up her side of the street inspired Nathan to look at himself and begin fixing what he needed to fix as well.  

Like many other couples, they had to visit multiple marriage counselors until they found one that clicked. By engaging in both counseling and The Marriage School, they received the individual attention and community support they needed.

Ten years and two more children later, Nathan and Bonnie are still dedicated to growing better together because they know that building a strong marriage means a secure home for their children. They both know firsthand the pain of divorce on children because they have lived it. “What we experienced makes us work even harder  because we don’t want our kids to have the same experiences we did,” says Nathan. It’s important for Bonnie to be able to confidently say to their kids, “That is never going to happen to us. We are always gonna stick together.”

Helping other couples keep their family together is the reason that Windows Plus has become a business sponsor of The Marriage School. With three active children, a property to maintain, and a business to run, Nathan knows how hard it is to prioritize time with his wife. He wants to pay it forward to other couples who are ready to invest in their marriage and keep their families intact. Bonnie and Nathan invite you to join them in the fight to grow healthier marriages and stronger families.