One whole year

Tomorrow is our first anniversary! I can’t believe it has been a year already. It has gone by SO fast. Many people say the first year is the hardest to get through, but I think ours was a really good first year. It hasn’t been full of sunshine and roses, but we both have grown a lot and come to know each other so much better than I could have thought. And we still have many more years to go even deeper!

Marriage is really an amazing and sacred thing. Before getting married, I used to read anything I could get my hands on that had to do with marriage, including advice columns specifically for married couples. I wanted to make sure that I would be prepared to be the best wife I could possibly be. But I never really understood it until actually getting married to Nathan. It’s a lot of sacrifice and it requires you to put someone else before yourself, but the rewards are pretty cool!

I think the oddest thing has been that I have come to understand myself better too. My relationship with Nathan has opened my eyes to both good and bad things I didn’t see in myself before. I have more confidence in some ways, and more humility in other ways.

It really is amazing to me how God can bring two people together and they become a greater force as a team than they could be by themselves. Marriage has made me see more of who God is as well, and what His relationship with His people is really like.

The more I come to know Nathan and the deeper our love grows, the more I understand who God is and how He loves us. I think that’s the most amazing thing about marriage. That and the fact that our relationship is designed to reflect that to the people around us as well.

I love you Nathan! It’s been a great year

 

101 days to go!

The wedding is getting closer and closer!

All the major things are taken care of, and now it’s getting into the smaller details.

Nathan’s graduation is Friday and today is his last day of finals! I am so proud of him! He has grown so much in the nearly two years that I’ve known him and I truly admire him for how he has totally given his life over to God. I am constantly amazed…

He’s also doing so well with improving himself not only spiritually and intellectually, but physically also. He has lost 35 pounds so far on Weight Watchers!!! I’ve been struggling to get past the 19 pound mark so I know what kind of work you have to put into it and I am so proud of how he’s become a healthier person. For us, it’s not about looks, but about being healthy and treating our bodies right and he has made a bigger change than I have in that regard!

I love you hon!! ♥

 

So blessed…

Last night, Nathan and I had a really good talk outside when I was leaving, so we had one of our 1/2 hour (maybe even an hour!) goodbyes!

We were talking about some issues I’ve been having with my dad and some other issues. Nathan then told me that one thing that would bother him is that when he would confront me about things, I’d turn the blame back to him (and he admitted I was always right!), but that I wouldn’t apologize for my own part. And he said that I’ve changed lately and that I apologize and take responsibility for whatever it is that I’ve done. He told me that he is so proud of me! It meant so much to me that he said that.

Because of the way I grew up, I have a habit of getting VERY defensive whenever someone confronts me about something, because even if it’s done lovingly, it feels like an attack to me and I react aggressively. But Nathan is such a patient, loving and gentle person that I realize my mistake because he never “attacks” me. And if he does, he realizes his mistake and apologizes. I feel much more safe with him than any other person, because we can talk about the issues that bother and affect us without any resentment or hurt feelings once we talk things out.

Nathan has really affected me in a positive way, MUCH more than anyone else in my life. Just by being who he is, he has helped me overcome a lot of traits that I’ve picked up from my family, especially my dad. I’m not as defensive a person anymore. I can even see the effects in my other relationships. I’ve become more more conscientious and I’ve become more calm when people do hurt me.

Last night, as I was safely tucked in the crook of Nathan’s arms, hugging and talking outside my car, I just felt so blessed that I nearly started crying (and that’s not very usual for me!). And to think it will keep getting better and we’ll keep growing closer!

I don’t know what I’d do without Nathan in my life!