What Marriage Has Taught Me

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Marriage is work...no way around it. Men and women are so very different. Here are some things marriage has taught me over the years:

1. LAUGH...LAUGH...LAUGH 
2. Communicate...make sure the other person "hears" you correctly. LISTEN
3. Spend time together
4. "Don't sweat the small stuff"
5. Be goofy together
6. Be yourself...everyone else is already taken
7. Compliments are good
8. It is good to talk about dreams...together
9. Be realistic about your ideas of life together
10. Commitment is what you "signed up for"
11. After God, family always comes first (not church or friends)
12. It is important to appreciate what each person brings to the table 
13. It will not always be "peaches 'n cream"...be ready for some disappointment along the way
14. Learn to respect each others' differences
15. Compromise is critical
16. Honesty really IS the best policy
17. Don't hold a grudge..."Let it go"
18. Don't be with someone of the opposite sex alone...EVER (it goes to the dating rule, if you are never alone, nothing can ever happen)
19. Change yourself...not the other person
20. Be willing to say "I'm sorry"
21. Be understanding
22. Say "I love you" daily
23. Have patience
24. Be supportive
25. Always be available

What marriage has taught me

What marriage has taught me:

• Laugh Laugh Laugh (I think this is most important)
• Spend time together
• Be goofy together
• Don't sweat the small stuff
• Communication is so important
• Have dreams
• Be realistic
• You must be committed
• Family comes first, after God of course
• Appreciate each other
• Respect each other...and your differences
• Compromise
• You must be honest with each other
• Do not hold a grudge
• Do not be with anyone of the opposite sex alone
• Say "I'm sorry"
• Be understanding
• Forgive
• Say "I Love You" every day
• Be patient
• Be supportive
• Marriage takes a lot of work...men and women are very different

Michael vs. Amy

There are a few areas in which Michael and I are different. For instance, Michael is an extrovert; I am an introvert. Michael loves to be around people; I like solitude at times. Michael likes adventure; I am happy at home.

There is one area that we are really different though. Michael pays attention to detail. He measures everything to a T. I remember when we first started dating, I could not believe that it could take him 4 hours to wash a car...he is still like that. Me--my philosophy is "close enough." I just don't have the patience that he has. I want to get it done...yesterday.

Food we ate when first married

When we were first married, we had to really watch our money. Michael was a senior in college, and I only made $800.00 a month. Michael worked a few hours on Saturdays, and that went to pay for books and fees for college. I got my paycheck at the beginning of the month, so that had to last us all month long. We would get to the last week of the month, and we would be cleaning out the cupboards big time. We made some of the strangest food during that time.

These are some of the foods we ate to save money then (I would not think of eating this now):

• Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
• Ramen noodles
• Cheap Mac and Cheese
• Tuna Noodle Casserole
• Chicken tetazzini

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Stealing Blankets

One of the best things we ever did in our marriage happened about a year ago. I was getting rid of our comforter (it had seen it's last days), and I was searching for a new one. I did not want to pay the price of the ones I liked, so I decided that we would just use our favorite blankets to keep us warm at night until I could find a good deal. We each had our own blanket. After one night of sleeping with our own blankets, we both agreed that we did not want a comforter. We both slept better than we ever had. I did not get too hot (because of Michael's heated body), and we both had a blanket we weren't fighting for. I recommend this to everyone. You will sleep so much better.

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True Love

I saw this today.  It is a tearjerker for sure.  I hope that Michael and I are blessed with this many years together.  "True Love" as quoted in the movie Princess Bride.



Letter from Fred on vimeo.