Mt. Rainier + 8 years

8 years.  

That’s how long Joseph & I have been married.

We celebrated our marriage by hiking 20 miles in 48 hours with an elevation gain of 4,000 feet.  It was rough.  We sweat a lot.  Sometimes we didn’t think we were going to make it.  We had moments where we thought:  are we completely crazy?!

We could be in a hotel somewhere, on a cruise, on the beach.  But no, we’re here, climbing up a mountain with 70 pounds on our backs, with nothing but a sleeping bag between us & the ground at night.

Since Joseph has been gone almost 5 days out of his 100+ days away, it’s given me time/space to think about what it means to be in a marriage.

1. Being married is a lot of give.

But being married to Joseph doesn’t feel like work or sacrifice.  We’re together on things.  At the end of the day, we don’t just love, but like each other.

We think the other one of us is really funny.  That helps a lot.  Because humor eases the tensions & stresses of life, rounds things out & makes the hard things soft.

2.  I like having kids with my best friend.

We like spending time with our kids.  Not because we don’t have personal interests of our own (because we do), but because the kids we’ve made together are great people.

They are intelligent, curious, & creative.  And they make us laugh.

3. It’s simple.  I like to be by Joseph.

To be in his presence, even if it’s just knowing he’s in the other room, because when I’m with him, I know that I am somehow a better person & I like who I am.

No longer are my wishes & wants my first priority, it’s now about someone else.  This helps me resist my natural impulse to be self-centered.

4.  We talk a lot.

I like what Joseph has to say, he likes what I have to say.

When we dated (which wasn’t for very long), our dates were almost always just us being together, talking.  I think this is what makes our marriage so great.  We can never say enough to each other.  At the same time, we can appreciate silence just as much as words spoken.

♥♥♥

What tips do you have about relationships?
& if you’re married, what do you love about it?
I’d love to hear what you have to say.