We Did It!!!

Tomorrow Justin and I will have survived our first year of marriage! We made it! And we didn't even kill each other in the process. Go us. It's crazy to me that I have been a married woman for an entire year, but at the same time I feel like I have known Justin for much, much longer than that. Weird how that happens. This year has definitely been a great one even if we did have some ups and downs. They say that the first year of marriage is the hardest one, and boy if that's true then Justin and I have easy sailing from here on out haha. Now don't get me wrong, we have definitely had some doozy fights, but in the grand scheme of things all of those little spats helped us learn how to be married and made us grow closer together. I can't imagine my life without my man, and I know I never ever want to find out. Anyway, we are one year older, and I think wiser too. Here is some marriage wisdoms from a one year pro. ;)

• The best advice that we got before our wedding was to make sure that we were touching each other while we were fighting. Whether it be holding hands across the table or sitting close to each other on the couch, just make sure that part of you is touching the other person. This may sound weird but it actually helps out alot  When you are close like that it is easier to remember that you love each other and harder to raise your voice because you are so close. We could always tell a huge difference between the fights that we were touching and the one's where we were far apart from each other. 

• Pride has no place in a marriage. Have you ever been in the middle of an argument and realized that you are wrong? Well, when this happens with your spouse it is always much better to swallow your pride and apologize. They'll love you a lot more for it. 

• It's the little things that we do on a daily basis that make a huge difference. Leaving a love note in his lunchbox, making his bed and fluffing his pillow, or just giving him a 'You're Sexy' wink and smile can absolutely make his day, and his mood, better. 

• Just because the honeymoon is over, doesn't mean the honeymoon has to be over. In fact, don't let it be. Make sure there is affection in your marriage. Kiss each other goodbye everyday. Hug each other. Hold hands. Dance in the kitchen. 

• Don't take your spouse for granted. When life gets busy it's easy to go through the motions and forget to stop and smell the roses. Don't do this with your spouse. Spend quality time with each other every single day, even if it's just five minutes of holding each other close and whispering in their ear that you love them and appreciate everything they do.

• Gratitude: It can never be overdone. A thank you goes a long way. 

• Always be honest with your spouse. I am not just talking about not lying or hiding things from him. Be honest with how you are really feeling. So many girls have a problem with this, me included. We want our husbands to be mind readers and they never are. So my advice, don't say "I'm Fine." when you're really not! 

• Service in a marriage is one of the most important acts of love. Fix his plate for him at mealtimes.  Surprise him by cleaning his car. Get him a cold drink when he is working in the yard. Again, it's the little things, but it reminds him that he is loved and that you are thinking about him. 

• Have a weekly date night. Justin and I were pretty good about his for the first few months of our marriage but there have definitely been weeks where we have been slacking. Having fun together is so important though. There are so many things in life to stress you out, and without a date night that stress is more likely to enter into your marriage. 

• And on a bigger scale- go on a yearly, if not more, vacation. It doesn't have to be extravagant, even a weekend away will do. But for a few days at a time leave the world behind and be together.

• Put the cell phone down! When you are with your spouse, BE WITH YOUR SPOUSE. Your friends and other family members can wait. Stop texting and browsing the internet and give them your full attention. 

• I saved the most important one for last. Be faithful... together. Pray together. Read your scriptures together. Go to church together. Attend temple night. Have conversations about the gospel. Bring Heavenly Father into your marriage. He can help strengthen your marriage way better than you can!

I'm sure there are plenty of other things that I have learned this year about marriage, and the things that I have learned from Justin about life are more numerous than the stars, but that's all I can think of for right now. Cheers to a great year and looking forward to many more!