Six Months...WHEW!!

Today is the BIG 6 month anniversary!!

I will try and save you from reading all the mushy mushy stuff that I will tell my husband face-to-face, but I just wanted to publicly list a few things that I've learned along the way. Being married is a crazy sort of deal...I learn something new each & every day. As hard as it is to admit, I am finding faults in myself every day as well. It's quite the challenge, being married...but it's something that is become easier day-by-day.

1. SELFISHNESS--I've learned that in a marriage, there really is no place for selfishness. In fact, it's quite full of the opposite...selfLESSness. I am still learning how to become the latter myself. I realize that in order to make a marriage work, and be happy for eternity, one must truly be selfless and learn to constantly serve the other. As President Hinckley's father said, "You have to forget yourself, and get to work."
2. LISTENING--No matter what kind of a day I've had, it's always a good thing to listen to Steven beforehand. From experience, it really doesn't pay off to start rambling on about this or that, when Steven has had a worse day. Once of us has to give, and sometimes we have to forget about ourselves and be the nurturer.
3. TRUE LOVE--True love is something I thought was only in fairy tales. In real life, it can be achieved, but it is something that has to be worked at. I find myself appreciating Steven more and more each day, and finding more things to love about him. It is easy when we're talking about my husband. Steven hasn't failed once at rubbing my feet when I get home from work, rubbing my back before falling asleep, telling me how beautiful I am, or wiping my tears and hugging me tight when I am so stressed out all I can do is cry at night and think about how many things I have to do and how much time I don't have. He is so supportive of me and my decisions. I love that about him.
4. SHARING--I've learned how to share responsibility. If it were up to me, being so demanding and OCD, I'd do the laundry, clean the house, go grocery shopping, cook, take care of the yard, pay the bills, etc all by myself...just the way I feel it should be done. But I've learned that I am not superwoman and that there is no way I can accomplish all of that alone. I've learned to rely on Steven and that just because it's not the way I would've done it, it's still okay and things will be fine.
5. TIME FOR US--I've learned that no matter how many things I have to do, I have to have time for us. Steven is a person who loves to sit and chat. Sometimes I am so worried about other things that I forget to just sit down and smile with him. He's such a big teddy bear, and he just wants to be hugged and told nice things. The least I can do is sit down and pay him some attention...I'm still working on this one!
6. THE LORD KNOWS BEST--The Lord prepared me to meet Steven, and I know that he was preparing Steven for me. As crazy as that sounds, I can't doubt it one bit. It hasn't been an easy road (esp. when you think about us still living in my parent's basement), but it's been well worth it. The Lord truly does know us and he knows what we need. I appreciated reading one of Emily's blog entires from a while back on her NOAH BLOG where she reflected on losing her first baby, and how the blessed she is now for having Noah in her life. Sometimes, we are so caught up in the NOW that we can't see past our fingertips. All we have to do is rely on the Lord and he'll do the rest. As hard as it is sometimes, it always works out for the best. Before meeting Steven, I was convinced I was to marry a few other men that had come into my life...and I was SURE of that. When every single one of them didn't work out, I thought I was doomed to never find Mr. Right and that I would remain single, and find my happiness in other places, rather than in the life of being married. I am a witness today, that there is a God who loves us, who knows us, and who knows our needs and answers our prayers according to His will and His timing.

Steven, I love you so much. I am so glad that I said "YES" in Nauvoo six months ago, today. I am even happier that we've had the trials we have, which have brought us to where we are today. I've never been happier that I have been with you, and I can't wait to grow old with you, and raise a family in the gospel. Happy six months, babe...