Happy 8th Anniversary!

Today is a very exciting day for us. Today is our 8th wedding anniversary. Yes, my friends, we have been married 8 wonderful year. Okay, so not all 8 years have been wonderful - some years have been down right difficult. However, we have made it through the rough patches and continue to fall in love more and more each day.

How? Simple. The key to a healthy and happy relationship is respect. Sure, we love each other but if you don't respect the person you are married to, then you have a poor relationship. You must respect them for who they are and not what you want them to be or even think you can make them to be. Through everything that Greg and I have been through, we have continued to respect the fact that we are different. Sure, he likes Star Wars and doesn't see the point in making the bed every morning (because it will just get messed up again that night) but that doesn't mean I should fault him for it. We just see things differently and like different things. But it is the respect of the other person's personality and likes that makes the marriage.

Let's go back to the making of the bed. Greg sees no point in making it and yet he makes it sometimes before I get a chance to. Why? Because he knows that it makes me feel good to see a nice neat bed when I go into the bedroom and that I enjoy climbing into a clean bed at night. Does this change his thought about making the bed? Nope! Did I have to nag to get him to make the bed? Nope! I simply told him why I like the bed made and how it makes me feel. If he doesn't make the bed, then I make it - without grumbling or nagging. Why? Because I respect his feelings on making the bed and thought about ways he can better use his time.

We don't push our thoughts or feelings on each other but express to the other person why we feel a certain way about something. It is for the other person to respect that and not try to change it.

A happy marriage? Yes! A marriage that we pray others experience? Most definitely! A marriage that we cherish? You better believe it!

Here's to another 50+ years as happy and loving wife and husband!