One Year Down...Forever To Go

Chad and I have made it through our first year (go us!).   For those who follow us on Facebook, you know that we love each other very much on purpose and out loud, but has our "happy ever after" been perfect? Well, we're both human, so you can probably guess the answer. ;)

"How's married life treating you?"  I get that question ALL the time.  If I'm honest, that answer can vary day to day (sometimes hour to hour!).  If you ask me right after he's cooked dinner and cleaned the kitchen, you'll get a resounding, "It's AMAZING!"  But if you ask me after I've had to explain my schedule AGAIN, RIGHT AFTER I just detailed it for him, but he wasn't listening, the answer will be significantly different. And I'm sure you'd get different answers from him depending on what's going on with me too.

There's a few other things I've learned in year one:
*Men and women almost never see things through the same eyes...and that's okay.
*Talking...REALLY talking...is vital.
*Sometimes, a hug can go a long way.
*Communication only works when you are both listening.
*Laughing together is important.  And, being able to laugh at yourself can be even more important.
*Dividing up chores and keeping a tally is a horrible idea.  Feeling that what you contribute is acknowledged and appreciated can almost always provide "balance".
*Being in love doesn't necessarily mean you love everything about your partner. Loving them means accepting those imperfections (as they accept yours).
*Apologize...and mean it.
*Forgive...and mean it.
*Holding hands can help you weather storms.
*The amount of laundry you can do in any given week will far exceed your expectations!
*Your "to do" list never gets shorter.  Don't stress it.
*Don't skip doing devotionals together.  I know sometimes, it's impossible, but make every effort.  It truly makes a difference.

And, in answer to the question, "What's married life like?"...marriage is what you make it.  It isn't magically happy.  You don't automatically stay best friends.  There's actually more working against that than for it.  But when you make God a part of your marriage and you are committed to each other and the vows you made, marriage really can be amazing.  And...it doesn't hurt when he looks at you like this.  :)