The Six Month Marriage

As of September 21, Ben and I have been married for six months. Half a year! And come December, we will have been together for a total of three years. Where did the time go?

These past six months have felt like years. The last three years together have felt even longer. I feel like I know my husband inside and out, yet there are still moments that surprise me. For all the knowledge we think we have about each other, the fact remains: we have only been married six months. But what a happy six months it has been! I wanted to take a moment to share with you all what we have learned, felt and experienced since that beautiful day in March.

What I learned about my husband:

He is incredibly patient. Particularly with me… Yet when it comes down to it, he is just as vulnerable as any other human being. He loves to dream and talk about his dreams with me, even if he isn’t serious about them. He loves his downtime, but he will also spend hours fishing, riding, camping and doing yard work on a beautiful day. He loves to hang out with me and he demands hugs and kisses all the time. He’s really a big teddy bear at home. On the phone, he lowers his voice into that macho manly tone. My father does it too. Ben tends to know me better than I know myself — or at least he’s really good at anticipating my thoughts and actions. He’s also an old soul in a young, handsome body.

What I learned about myself:

I really enjoy taking care of another human being. I can multitask really well. I also burn-out quickly. I feel more comfortable around Ben than I have around any other person ever. I feel like I have more freedom being married than if I were not. As much as I see myself as an independent woman, I need another person to talk to, bounce ideas off of and be around — Ben is my person. I’m predictable, but honest. I’m a homebody but I love being around people I love. I’m more concerned about Ben’s happiness than my own.

What we experienced:

We finally saw some semblance of stability and security in our home and finances over the summer. It was such a wonderful thing to finally afford all our bills and have some spending money left over — a necessity because there are never leftovers in the house, so we are constantly food shopping. Early mornings together in the kitchen, drinking coffee and scrambling eggs brought about dreams and plans for the future; late nights with a bottle of wine on the back porch brought about nostalgic talk and memories. We worked more than we ever have but we definitely saw the payout from it. Last year was a year of heartache and questions. This year has been a year of hope, faith and solutions. We worked through tough situations together, no flawlessly, but consistently. We realized we will always have each other and that we are together in this for the long-haul. And we always remember to laugh.

Originally published at www.elizabethlandrum.com