When we began preparing for marriage, there is no way we could have been prepared for what the last nine months have held for us. I've often heard couples say that marriage is hard; and shortly after marriage, I am convinced that this is true, but that there is no way for one to understand what is meant, or to truly understand the reality of it, until one experiences marriage for themselves. My husband and I poured over books, sought advice, and prayed together in the days, weeks and months leading up to our wedding. Then I walked down the aisle and within thirty minutes, all of the time spent devoted to making this day a reality came together and we were Mr. and Mrs.
Reflecting over the past nine months of marriage, we have had good times and bad times. We have weathered many storms. I wish I could say with confidence that the worst of the storms are behind us, but that would be too naive on my part. There is certainly no certainty in what the future holds. We are only beginning.
What we have been through has made us stronger. That is not to say that it has not shaken us. We have committed our lives together and have promised that no matter what happens in life, we are on the same team; we need to fight for us and not against each other.
We process things differently. We look at what is going on in our lives differently. We have opposing expectations at times. We have learned through trial and error how to communicate and still we find ourselves lacking thorough communication at times.
I had no expectations that we would have marriage figured out within our first year. I have a mindset that I will be a life long learner with my husband -- perhaps that is one of those expectations in life that I need to make sure that I am communicating with my husband... I want to grow with him, explore with him, learn new things together with him.
While marriage is harder than I ever could have imagined, marriage is also the best thing I have ever experienced as well. I am married to my best friend. We share our deepest secrets and hopes with each other. We go on adventures together. We rely on each other in the good times and the trying times. We help each other grow into better people - not just as a husband and a wife, but also as a son, a daughter, a friend, an employee, and so much more!
I cannot imagine my life being married to anyone else - I have no desire to even try. While some days are harder than others, I know that at the end of the day, and every morning when I wake up ... my husband is by my side.
Communication is key for us; when we fail to communicate our hopes, dreams, desires, or expectations, there are often times hurt feelings. We have moments where our communication is amazing, and there are moments where we are still learning!
Every day I choose my husband. Every day my love for him increases. God knew what he was doing when he brought the two of us together. As Proverbs 27:17 reads, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." I see this at work in our marriage. I see myself as a better, stronger, individual because of the relationship I have with my husband. Being married to my husband is one of my greatest joys!
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