TWO HEARTS, One Lifetime of Love

Today we have reached a milestone in our relationship – six amazing months of marriage.  It seems like only yesterday we met each other at the front of Binkley Chapel ready to vow our lives to one another… for a lifetime.  A lifetime of good.  A lifetime of bad.

The past six months have been interesting, but good preparation for the years to come.  Living together has not been easy; however, it has been a new experience in our relationship that allows us to continuously learn more about each other in ways we thought we already had figured out. 

Growing Pains:  Learning to ‘Live’ Together

I knew Justin had tendencies to be completely unorganized, but I always thought he would get his act together once we were married.   Never did I expect the banister to become a clothes rack or his boxes to be left completely packed in the “man cave” for nearly four months into our marriage.  It took great motivation to solve both of these issues and I am grateful to say it has been a huge accomplishment.

There’s nothing that frustrates me more than Justin falling asleep at eight and nine o’clock at night with my little Harley in his arms…  You see, that’s where it has been the hardest.  I’m a night owl and Justin’s an early bird.  I annoy him when he’s ready for bed because I am usually ready to hang out after he has completely shut down.  In return, he gets in my face in the mornings trying to wake me so we can have coffee together.  Needless to say, we both fail in those areas.  Justin still falls asleep early, I stay awake until the wee-hours of the morning, he wakes up early, and I receive the payback from picking at him while he was trying to snooze.  And on a side note, we don’t drink coffee together in the mornings.  My Lesson Learned:  Rent any chick flick [I] want because Justin will fall asleep within the first ten minutes of the opening scene (if not during the previews).    

One other pet peeve is when I walk into our home after a full work day to find him either on the phone or playing video games.  [This is where I pout because my dogs are more excited to see me than my very own husband.  Don’t worry, I have verbalized my opinion.]  His Lesson Learned: Jump up and down and greet me at the door when I get home from work (less sarcasm and exaggeration would make it seem a little more genuine; however, the acknowledgement is a huge improvement and makes me smile if anything). J

The Things that come Natural.

Though the bad often seems to outweigh the good in almost every aspect of life, I have been able to experience a lot of pleasant moments in these six months of marriage.  Of the many exciting times we have together, we always make time to laugh both at each other and with each other.  There never seems to be a dull moment. 

The cutest thing to me is seeing Justin sweep our hardwood floors while he leaves little dust piles all around the room because he 1) doesn’t know how to sweep them up by himself or 2) doesn’t want to sweep them up because he knows I’ll do it for him.  No matter what his intentions may be, I find it sweet that he takes time to help which makes sweeping up all those little dust piles completely worth it.  And it still makes me laugh when I occasionally step in those little mountains because I haven’t received warning that they even exist. 

Another sweet moment just two weeks into our marriage after Justin woke up and was getting ready for work:

• J:  Politely speaking.  “Hannah, you need to do laundry today.  I don’t have any clean undershirts.”
• H:  Laughing under her breath [no sarcasm intended].  “You wear those?”
• J:  “Yeah, like every day.”
• H:  “Oh.”

The simplicity of this conversation tickled my soul as I began to realize what I had just gotten myself in to.  It’s moments like this that I cherish.

Special Memories

• Getting a Black Labrador (It’s been an adjustment but we’ve been successful)
• Our trip to Colonial Williamsburg
• Our first CHRISTmas together as husband and wife
• Watching Harley and Hank learn to like/love each other

Despite the challenges that have faced us, this journey has been exciting and fun and we will forever continue making memories together in this lifetime that God has given us as one.