Award-winning singer-songwriter Gary Chapman and his wife, Nashville Wives star Cassie Piersol Chapman, say they're so in love, one wedding just wasn't enough.

"We got married Dec. 22, 2008 in a very small ceremony my father performed," says Gary, 56, a five-time Grammy-nominated, seven-time Dove Award-winning artist who recently released his first album in a decade, The Truth (www.garychapmanmusic.com).

"The next year, we had a mountaintop wedding with our friends in Breckenridge, Colo. Cassie's grandmother married us at a Renaissance fair, and last year, we tied the knot in Las Vegas. What can I say - we like getting married!"

It's just one of the ways the couple keeps the romance alive, says Cassie, 33, who stars in the new TNT show Private Lives of Nashville Wives, premiering Feb. 24.

"Weddings are a beautiful celebration of our love for each other and a reminder that this is serious!" she says. "So many people get married and they're divorced two years later. We don't plan to be among them!"

What are some of the Chapmans' other secrets for keeping their romance burning bright?

• Discover and embrace your partner's cultural perspective. Gary grew up with black-and-white TV and The Andy Griffith Show. He remembers the first time he heard The Beatles on the radio. Cassie watched Fraggle Rock and The Goonies, and played computer games on the family's Commodore 64.

"I've definitely been exposed to things I never would have experienced without Gary in my life, from music to great old movies," Cassie says.

Adds Gary: "A younger person can teach an old dog new tricks, too. I've got a window on pop culture that I would never have without Cassie. Next...she's gonna teach me to dance."

• Identify and enjoy your shared cultural experiences. Both Gary and Cassie grew up fans of Willie Nelson's music, so Gary was thrilled when he got the opportunity to introduce his wife to the country singing legend.

"He's a man who doesn't disappoint when you meet him, so Cassie was blown away. She loves him," Gary says. "I think if I weren't around, she'd marry him! We look for those shared memories - timeless Christmas music is another - because they add to the bond we have."

• Anticipate criticism -- and ignore it. "Simply put, there are going to be haters out there - a lot of people carry around stereotypes about relationships where there's a significant age difference, whether the man or the woman is older," says Cassie. "We're so happy together, it just doesn't bother us. I don't think either one of us even notices it anymore."

• Stay in shape! It's important for everyone to take care of themselves, but if you're the older partner, you owe it to the love of your life to stay fit and healthy, Gary says.

"I plan to be hiking, biking and singing - and more! -- with Cassie when I'm 100," Gary says. "So I exercise regularly and I don't abuse my body by drinking too much or eating a lot of junk. I'm careful because I love her, and that alone is a romantic thing to do."

The two also both see at least one more wedding in their future - not counting the times they quietly exchange rings and mouth "I do" while attending friends' and family weddings.

"We hope to have a real ceremony soon," Cassie says. "I want my dad to walk me down the aisle and mom to button me up."

About Gary & Cassie Piersol Chapman

Gary Chapman is a veteran musician in the contemporary pop, country, Christian and southern gospel genres. His Dove Awards include Male Vocalist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year, and he's written hits including I Prefer the Moonlight for Kenny Rogers and Finally for T.G. Sheppard along with songs for Alabama and Wynonna Judd. He was the host of TNN's hit show Prime Time Country for four years and founded the record label that launched current Disney music mainstays Everlife, among many top performers.

Cassie Piersol Chapman stars in TNT's new docudrama Private Lives of Nashville Wives (from the Real Housewives creators). She grew up on her family's West Virginia farm and was active in 4H and other agricultural activities. She also sang in a choir, modeled and became a star cheerleader in high school. She won two national cheerleading titles at Morehead State University in Kentucky. She has appeared in music videos, commercials and printed work. She works with her husband, Gary, on A Hymn a Week, a popular online devotional.

One topic I've learned to avoid with new acquaintances until I know them better (along with politics and religion) is where they stand on the treatment of pets. Some people, when their dog gets sick or badly injured, say, "It's an animal - that's just part of the circle of life." Others consider Rover a close family member and would take out a second mortgage to save his life.

Pet owners from both camps probably see the barrage of ads for pet insurance and wonder whether it's worth the expense, which might be several thousand dollars over the life of your pet. I did some research and the best answer I can come up with is, it depends.

First, ask yourself: Do you regard pet insurance as a financial investment, where you expect to get back more in benefits than you paid out in premiums over the pet's life? Or, is it more like auto or homeowner's insurance, where you hope nothing ever goes seriously wrong, but you want coverage in case there's a catastrophe?

Either way, here are some basic facts about pet insurance that may help you decide whether it's right for you:

Pet insurance shares many features with human health insurance: Policies typically have annual deductibles, copayments and exclusions, and some limit which veterinarians, clinics and hospitals you can use.

But there are numerous differences as well. For example, pet insurers are allowed to refuse coverage for preexisting conditions and to set annual and lifetime payout limits. Among the many other restrictions you should watch for when comparing plans are:

• Premiums vary greatly depending on where you live and may increase based on your pet's age, breed, veterinary cost inflation and other factors.
• Typically you must pay the vet or hospital bill out of pocket and get reimbursed later.
• Many plans deny or restrict coverage for congenital or hereditary conditions (like hip dysplasia in dogs or kidney failure in cats) and preventable conditions like periodontal disease.
• Along with annual and lifetime maximums on benefits paid out, there may be a limit on how much it will pay for treatment of an individual illness or accident.
• If your pet suffers a particular disorder one year, don't be surprised if that condition is excluded at renewal - or if you're required to pay an additional fee for future coverage.
• Pets over certain age limits frequently are denied coverage.
• Certain breeds are often excluded or only eligible for restricted coverage.
• Some carriers let you augment your accident and illness policy with optional "wellness care" coverage for things like spaying and neutering, annual physicals, vaccines and routine tests. Make sure the additional premium is worth the extra cost.

Perhaps the biggest challenge when choosing pet insurance is trying to compare plans, apples to apples. There are about a dozen carriers in the U.S. Each offers a variety of plans with varying deductible, copayment and maximum coverage amounts, as well as different covered benefits and exclusions.

You can go directly to their websites for plan details and to request a quote, or use an independent comparison website to pull quotes from multiple carriers. I'd recommend creating a spreadsheet to compare benefits and costs side by side, just as you would when shopping for auto insurance.

Bottom line: If you decide pet insurance isn't right for you, at least be sure you're setting money aside to cover expected - and unexpected expenses.

Q&A:  Federal Sentencing Reforms with U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley

Q:        Which reforms is the Senate Judiciary Committee considering to the criminal justice system?

A:        A generation or so ago, homicides and other crimes of violence were linked to a rise in illegal drug trafficking.  Policymakers across all levels of government zeroed on efforts to make the nation's streets safer and public squares more secure for the citizenry.  Local efforts focused on policing and enforcement.  At the federal level, Congress passed laws requiring mandatory sentencing guidelines, mandatory minimum sentences, and increased funding for the federal prison system.  Minimum sentencing laws help bring certainty to victims and stability in the criminal justice system.  Keep in mind also that 97 percent of all federal prosecutions lead to plea bargains.  Plea bargains spare court resources, benefit victims and lead to sentences that reflect the seriousness of the crime.  Last year the U.S. Attorney General announced the Department of Justice would dial back federal prosecutions for certain mandatory minimum sentences involving nonviolent drug offenses.  The announcement opens debate about whether the administration is faithfully executing the laws passed by Congress. Notwithstanding the underlying constitutional issues that call into question the Attorney General's execution of the law, the announcement invites a serious discussion about the direction of the U.S. criminal justice system in the 21^st century.  The U.S. spends $80 billion a year on our prison system and still confronts issues with overcrowding and recidivism.  It would be prudent to consider home confinement for chronically ill prisoners or those assessed as low risk to commit new crimes.  The Bureau of Justice Statistics reported violent crime rose from 22.6 to 26.1 per 1000 people in 2012.  Property crime jumped ten percent.  As policymakers weigh reforms to address overcrowding, reduce mandatory minimum sentences and lessen the burden on the taxpaying public, policymakers also must consider the risks to public safety and personal property.  Taxpayers who pay for the criminal justice system and the innocent victims of violent crime and their families deserve nothing less.  The scales of justice must reflect the rights and protections of the victim as well as those of the accused in a society governed by the rule of law.

Q:        Do you support changes to mandatory minimum sentences?

A:        As the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I have served on the panel which has oversight authority and legislative jurisdiction of the nation's federal judiciary and criminal justice system since I was first elected to the U.S. Senate.  I'm open to adjusting some mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent, lower-level crimes, as long as others are raised where needed, notably for the prosecution and conviction of sexual assault cases.  A balanced mix of sentencing reforms offers an opportunity to root out weaknesses in the system as we work to strengthen law and justice.  Specifically, I advanced amendments in committee this year that would improve justice for victims of sexual violence.  My amendments would establish a five-year mandatory minimum sentencing standard for crimes of aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse and sexual abuse of a minor or ward; set a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for murders caused in the commission of certain sex offenses; and create a ten-year mandatory minimum sentence for a conviction of interstate domestic violence in which death occurs.  As it stands today, accused sexual offenders facing prosecution don't have an incentive to enter a plea agreement.  Perversely, it stands in their interest to roll the dice, go to trial and hope for probation or a light sentence.  There are 32 categories of federal offenses, and sexual abuse cases rank 30^th in the percentage of those in which the defendant pleads guilty. When critics of the criminal justice system call for judicial discretion that's subterfuge for leniency. Times have changed since I cast my first vote on the Senate Judiciary Committee.  But the passage of time doesn't change "We the People's" proper expectation that justice be served in a nation founded upon justice for all.