Anniversary Musings

So today, Bob and I have been married for 16 years.  When we were engaged and first married, I thought 16 years was an incredibly loooooooong time.  If you stayed married for 16 years, it was a sure thing, right?  I mean, you were assured your golden anniversary and time and all eternity.  For sure.

But I wake up in the morning and go to bed at night, and I can't believe it's been 16 years.  It went by in the blink of an eye.  Wasn't it just yesterday we were walking hand in hand into the temple to be married with no kids and hearts full of dreams and heads full of plans?  Blink of an eye, I tell you.

When I was in college, there were a couple of guys I could have married, a few that I thought I would marry.  I think I would have been happy with any of them.  They are successful, good family men who honor their covenants, provide for their families, and love their wives and the Lord.

I believe that the Lord lets you choose whom you will marry.  And I believe that He led me to mine.  We aren't perfect--we both have faults and flaws.  But our strengths tend to complement each other's and make up for the other's weaknesses.  Things have happened in my life that I think only Bob could have pulled me through.  I love how we laugh together, and how tender he is when I'm acting like a girl.  I love how hard he works at everything he does, and I love how he loves the Lord.  And though I think the Lord would have let me make any choice in husband, and done His best to bless that union, He was really super smart when He took the time to convince me to marry Bob.

In honor of our anniversary, I give you 16 things our marriage has taught me:

1.  Bob is perfect.  He told me this before we got married.  But I didn't understand.  I do now.
2.  When neither one of you can sleep at night, you should wonder why.  It's probably because the garage door is wide open.  But if it's not, you know you have a problem
3.  Kids are expensive.  But worth it.  You just have to ignore the dollar signs that sprout up all. over. the place.
4.  "Yes, dear" has multiple meanings, depending upon who is saying it, who is hearing it, and who it is being said to.  Oh yeah, and what it's being said about.
5.  If it can break, it will.  When you can least afford it.  And when it's most inconvenient.  Every. Time.
6.  Laughter is the best medicine.
7.  Some people are big babies when they are sick.  And he still loves me anyway.
8.  Men are from Mars, and women are from Venus.  I know saying this will be provocative, and I don't believe Bob and I are boxed into specific gender roles ... but marriage should cure you of thinking that there is no difference between men and women.
9.  Dirty dishes and dirty laundry and grass grow fast.  But not as fast as your kids.  Sometimes it's worth it to give up a chore for your family.  Course, you probably shouldn't give up ALL your chores.  Just sayin'.  If your kids smell too badly, someone might investigate.
10.  I've kept our plant alive for 16 years (yes, I was a cheesy 20 year old, and bought us a plant in symbolism).  Ok, Bob may have watered the plant a few times.  If I can keep the plant alive, this marriage thing should be a piece of cake, right?
11.  Whenever you judge someone as marriage partners or parents, you are about 50 times more likely to end up with that problem yourself.  ASAP.
12.  When you don't keep up with the budget, everyone is stressed.  Life is not pleasant.  As long as you know for sure that you have no money and/or how much money you don't have, it's all good.
13.  Pregnant women are loving, rational, kind human beings crazy.
14.  Crumbs in the bed will be a source of marital strife.  In the marriage relationship, one of you will always be the princess.  And it isn't me, I swear.  But at least I know he's worthy of me, right?
15.  Prayer changes things.  It usually doesn't change the other person, but it changes your perspective, your attitude, and your ability to be more Christlike.  It's an important detail, I guess.
16.  The best cure for heartache is the arms of the man you love around you.  Especially when he smells like your favorite deodorant.

I love this man.  I love being married to this man.  Even when I'm mad at him.  And especially when he's busy being the great guy that he is.