When an important commitment comes up that you cannot bring yourself to attend (one of her many friends' housewarming parties), you can make like Houdini and disappear behind a tiny lie. When an important Sunday church service lands on the same day as the NFL playoffs, you know what to do. Grin and bear it next week, but say you need to stay in bed this time due to a stomachache. She'll be glad you still want to go and will surely make an exception this time.