Five stages of marriage.Which Stage is Your Marriage In?

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1.Are You in the Passion Stage? Are you still in the glorious honeymoon phase of your relationship -- and are you making the most of every passionate, romantic, spontaneous moment? 2.Are You in the Realization Stage? The Realization stage can rock any marriage. Hormonal shifts turn down the volume on wild passion, and in its place, you feel the need to share likes and dislikes with your partner that you may have edited or muted during the Passion stage. At the same time, the two of you discover that each of you isn't perfect and doesn't intuitively know everything about the other's wants, needs, and desires. Are you here yet? 3.Are You in the Rebellion Stage? If you or your spouse feels a powerful pull to break out of your marriage -- by pursuing new interests, spending more time apart, or even having an affair -- your relationship may have entered the stormy Rebellion stage. This stage is frequently marked by power struggles, intense conflict, secrets, and angry rebellion. However, it can be a very positive stage as well, if you and your spouse allow each other the freedom, security, and time to allow your true selves to take flight. To make that happen, you'll need to negotiate schedules, learn to accept differences, work through conflicts, and build a present and a future that you both love. Are you in rebellion, and is it healthy or harmful to your marriage? 4.Are You in the Cooperation Stage? After the passion and the rebellion comes the partnership -- intensely busy years when you're raising your family, investing in your career, making your home exactly the way you want it to be, creating savings for retirement, and contributing time and effort to community or religious organizations. The joys of this building phase are enormous -- but they can take a toll on your marriage. How good is the cooperation in your marriage? 5.Are You in the Reunion Stage? Your nest is empty, your career's cruising along nicely, your future looks secure. It's time to enjoy a well-deserved breather and savor the fruits of your labor. Reunion-stage couples turn back to each other -- and you may find open arms, be surprised by the reemergence of old disagreements, or struggle to reconnect if you've grown far apart over the years. Find out if you're truly in the Reunion stage.