Being Married

 So I'm home sick today-AGAIN.  This is seriously getting old.  I've been good about drinking water and sleeping a lot-but today, as I miss church and lay in bed alone, I'm motivated to drink more Emergen-C than I can stand and to take DayQuil at it's recommended dosage like it's my job.
  On a more positive note, I've had time to think about my husband and our life together and to really reflect on it and thank God for all that's he's blessed us with during this quiet, morning.  I may have a snotty, red nose, but I'm thankful for this quiet, intimate time with my God as I thank Him for the most intimate relationship He's given me here on Earth.
  Yesterday, as we were winding down our day of shopping and errand-running (In hindsight, I really should have stayed in to rest and drink Emergen-C like it was my job-you were right, Mom!), I turned to Grant to inform him that this Christmas will be the fifth one we've spent together!  I can't believe this.  Seriously.  I can think of few things that I've done five years in a row other than the traditions my parents established in their family-now here I am, establishing them with Grant. I've been thinking a lot about what marriage is to me-what it MEANS to me.  Boiled down to the bare bones, it's a legally and spiritually-binding union that draws social boundaries and decides who you live with for your entire life.  Over the last four Christmases (the first one we were only engaged), I've developed this idea much more thoroughly and been so thrilled at what I've discovered.  My list begins:

- Being married to my Grant means that we can't let the cat into our bedroom or his allergies will act up-but when Grant is in an especially sweet mood, he'll snuggle with her because he knows how happy it makes me-like the old days before his poor eyes and nose couldn't handle her fur.

-Being married means having a couple of inner-freak outs during years one and two as I realized that "THIS IS FOREVER," - and now tearing up as I look over at my man sleeping and feeling so incredibly proud, and honored that, "This is forever.  He chose to be with me."

-Being married means that I am the proud owner of a catalog of memories and experiences that are shared with one person.  It means that I will have his face to look over at and grin with when we tell an inside joke.  There will always be those things that only the two of us "get".

-Being married, means that every day, I'm must choose to be married-to be committed-to be a wife, AND that I have an opportunity every day to choose to be married to my best friend and my love, to choose to commit myself to taking care of my man and of myself because I love him so, so much, and to choose to be a better wife today than I was yesterday, because I've been entrusted with sharing a lifetime with a man who is so wonderful.

-Being married means that I receive regular lessons about the love of Our Father and His unending Grace.  I mess up FREQUENTLY and say and do hurtful things OFTEN.  My Grant forgives me and loves me more once we've made up and shared in the act of forgiveness together than he did previously.  Additionally, I'm FREQUENTLY given a chance to understand my God's love and grace as my Grant is guilty of messing up, just as I am.  I find forgiveness to come more easily and  my love to grow more deeply rooted as we grow less afraid to admit to one another that we're both imperfect-and we can love one another more freely because of it.

 
-Being married means that I can expect countless adventures, alongside my Man, my Love, my Partner, my Baby, my Bearded-Friend, my Husband.  I love you.