How crucial is vaginal intercourse to your relationship?

I realize everyone will have their own take on this. I guess most people dabbling in MC are having less PIV sex, but we weren’t getting much of it before our latest round anyway. Now, non-PIV intimacy is relatively common for us. I’ve had just two orgasms this year and no PIV in six weeks, yet my wife is more open to other ways of being intimate.

I appreciated Thumper’s blog post from 1/18/11 about the “game” of denial. Whenever I know my wife thinks it might be time for entry, I feel a mix of excitement and anticipation. It feels like standing at the top of a roller coaster, knowing the drop is coming soon but also that the ride will end. I want to add another layer: if I have to ask, you can expect the answer to be “no”.

Preferences vary among couples (and likely shift over time), so do women see less PIV as a sacrifice? Is the man seen as less assertive or aggressive when that is sometimes what she wants? My wife might eventually want me to push harder, but right now she likes how things are. She also appreciates my giving nature and confidence.

There seems to be a wide spectrum of practices: some couples avoid PIV almost entirely, while others believe it’s the only proper way for men to climax, just less often, which makes those moments more special. I find this range interesting. How do couples navigate differences in preference?