Themed Weekend: Marriage

high-school-trip-to-NYCI met my husband when I was 15.

He worked his way into my heart a little with each passing day. I'd glance up from my work in math class and see those pensive green eyes, that mischievous smile. I'd see him at soccer games and at theatre practices and at weekend gatherings with friends.

He would often look over at me, contemplative and admiring. The combination of strength and love in his eyes intrigued me.

A year later, we were dating. And - from that point on - we were virtually inseparable. He and I together.

I learned that behind those eyes was a compassionate, hard-working, heroic man who cared about God, about people, about change.

We've been married 8 years this January and I can honestly say without hesitation that I love him more today than before. That heady, intoxicating adolescent love has blossomed into a more sturdy and "grown-up" love. He is my friend above all other friends, my business partner, my confidant, my everything.

Sure, we fight sometimes (but not often). I drive him crazy when I forget to get the clothes out of the dryer and when I load the dishwasher "incorrectly" (yes, there is a certain "way" to load dishes...who knew?). He drives me crazy when I ask him a question and it takes him forever to respond because he is "thinking about it." But overall? We're the best team ever. We balance each other. We dream together. We can spend hours and hours talking. In fact, one of our favorite things to do is get in the car and just drive. We clock miles and have conversations...about life and death, parenting and passion, strategies for making every second of our lives count.

dad-with-kids-october-2009On almost every workday, my 3-year-old looks at her daddy and says, "We don't want you to go to work. We want you to stay here with us." I echo that sentiment. Our 7-month-old looks over at him and beams. He kisses us, says good-bye. And then he texts us when he gets to work, "I'd rather be with you too."

And you know what? Staying at home together would work. We wouldn't tire of each other. We would inspire each other. We are truly an "A-Team." It's kind of like that famous quote from Helen Keller: "Alone, we can do so little. Together, we can do so much."

Stay tuned this weekend for articles, musings, product reviews, and giveaways with a marriage theme.

YOUR TURN: I'm Curious - How long have you been married?

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62 comments on “Themed Weekend: Marriage”

  1. Marriage is wonderful..and my favorite topic. I love being married to my sweet, strong, loving man. It's 3 years for us. And he is my forever love and best friend. Keep writing about it, it's very encouraging and enjoyable!

  2. Stephanie- Thanks for commenting on my blog. I just realized you commented.. So much for keeping up on that.. anyway - Your blog is aweome..
    Time to play- :0)
    I have been married a little over 6 months and together for 5 - we were married in March 09 and I'm loving every minute of it!! It really hasn't changed since being married, so that has been good. Some people tend to scare you by saying oh now that your married everything is going to stop, sex, date nights, cuddles, kisses, etc..- I don't believe that for one minute!! We are still going strong married or not and will continue to.. :0)

  3. I have been married for 9 and a half years! Four kids now and still very happy!! We were 21 and 22 when we were married. It is true I love when my husband is home with us all!

  4. Just found your site...and I am loving reading your pieces. You have a way with words and a way of motivating me to do my best and yet also be happy with what I have. Thanks! We will have been married for EIGHT years in 2 1/2 weeks. It has been crazy...we married young as well I was almost 19, but it has been wonderful as well. We are both still growing a lot which is fun to do together!

  5. I was almost 19 when I got married, I miss those days when we were so in love! We've been married for 9 1/2 years and sometimes we feel like strangers. I'm so in awe of your marriage but I guess there's still hope.

  6. Lovely post. We have been married almost 11 years. We didn't meet until our senior year of highschool and that was very brief but we went to bible college together.

  7. funny. my husband and i met when we were 15 (me) and 14 (him). we were high school sweethearts but we still had a lot of growing up to do. even though we weren't "officially" dating we saved ourselves for one another until later on in university when we were ready to enter into a dating relationship that had the purpose of marriage behind it.
    we've been married now for 6 1/2 years!

  8. Aww thats so awesome! You & your husband seem to have a great relationship! My hubby & I have been married 3.5 years. :)

  9. Thanks for sharing this! Isn't it so special to have a marriage like you do? I love being married and I love who I am married to. My husband and I have been married for 5 1/2 years...we met and married within 6 months! We are an Austrian boy and an American girl who met while working in New Zealand. It has been an amazing adventure ever since and I wouldn't change it for the world! We live, laugh, love, challenge, encourage, support, dream for and with one another. It is fantastic!

  10. I love that you shared about your marriage in such a positive light. I feel the same way about my husband (we have been married 9 years). He is my best friend. We dream together, laugh together, and do ministry together. I feel so blessed. I can honestly say I am more in love with my husband and respect him even more today then the day I married him.

    I love the picture of you guys, too cute!

  11. Stephanie, you sound like you have a very special marriage, one that is rare in this world. My husband and I have been married 11 months but have been together almost 7 years! Yikes! That sounds like a long time! Although we've been together so long, it seems that marriage has really changed our relationship. It's been fun, challenging, rewarding, infuriating and many other things the past year as we have renegotiated how we relate to one another and how we "do life together" so to speak. I love him more each day that passes.

  12. My husband and I met in high school and dated for 9 years before we got married. We celebrated our 25th Anniversary this past March, so we have been together for 34 years!

  13. Thanks for sharing that nice story. Very sweet. My husband and I have been married for 8 years, knew each other for a total of 9 years.

  14. We've known each other for 17 years, we've been married for 7. I'd love it if he could work from home, we miss him so much when he's at work...maybe someday :)

  15. That is so sweet. We've been married 9 years but have been together for 14. We met when we were 17 and started dating at 18. He's my best friend.

  16. I love this post and topic! My husband and I have known each other for 6 years we dated for a year, broke up for 3 and then got back together (we both needed the time to find ourselves before we could find each other again) we were back together 6 months before we were engaged, married 18 months later and have now been married for a 18 months. I can honestly say he is the perfect man for me. He is my center, my rock, my calm place to hide. And the ONLY person on the planet who knows EVERYTHING about me and loves me anyway :).

  17. Heh. I'm amused by how much we have in common. I met my husband when we were 15. We started dating and never looked back. We'll have been married nine years in June. And we have a seven month old too.

  18. I met my husband when we were 14. Although we didn't date until we were 19. We did not go to the same school. My husband and I will also be married 8 years this January! He is my best friend and I love him so much!

  19. I've been a stay at home dad for 5 years now. My wife started working from home 1 year ago. Now we're both home all day. While she holes up in her office I still do all the things I'm supposed to do with the kiddos. But, having here there is just a nice relief because, when something does go wrong, she is right there to pop out of the office and help out. So much of a burden off of both of us. She gets to see the kids more often and I get a helping hand more often. You two look very happy by the way. Congratulations.

  20. 10 years. It really is amazing how that love changes over time-the ups and downs of life (and 3 kids!) really does make it something so much deeper and complex that you can imagine when standing at the altar!

  21. We will have been married for 2 years in January. We first met about 5 and a half years ago. I had just gone through a bad divorce and he had been single for about 10 years. We knew that we were suppose to be together back then, but also knew it wasn't the right time. And sure enough, here we are married at the right time! I was able to learn and grow to where I needed to be so that we could be together. He also learned to lay back a little and not be so up tight. That is hard for a guy who is 16 years older than his wife!! Yikes! Yes, my hubby is a cradle robber!! ha ha! Good thing I am in my 30s already, not so creepy that way!

  22. We aren't married yet! But we've been partners in crime for 5 years. This May we will stand before God, our family and friends, and become One - one couple with two hearts that beat wildly for one another.

    Wedding planning is so fun! I can only imagine how exciting LIFE planning/experiencing will be!
    http://amountainbride.blogspot.com

  23. We've been married for 8 fantastic years and looking forward to spending eternity together. He is an amazing and caring man who is always willing to help a friend in need. He's a wonderful and playful father who keeps the girls in giggles. I feel very lucky to have found him.

  24. your last two paragraphs sound exactly like our house. my husband and I got married when we'd known each other less than 9 months and we still joke that we wasted a lot of time dating.

    it's amazing knowing you're in a partnership with your best friend.

  25. I loved your story! Your picture is adorable :) My husband and I will celebrate our 6 year wedding anniversary in November (and the following day our first-born turns 2!) We were set up on a blind date & within 6 months we were married. When you know...you know!

  26. What a sweet post about your husband! I too met my husband when I was 15, but it was almost 4 years later when we started dating! And we celebrated 5 years in May! We could totally spend all of our time together and our 2 year old tells him every morning when he is leaving for work that he wants him to stay and play. My husband always jokes that I would rather he stay home, but still get a paycheck. If there was a way, yes, I would want him home with us all the time!

  27. My husband is tall, dark, handsome, kind-hearted, good-natured, funny, and extremely likable. He is also an amazing father, so fun and loving.
    We have been married 7 years next month. We have known eachother for--oh my goodness--14 years! I haven't really counted in awhile! :-)
    You and your husband make an adorable-looking couple by the way!

  28. we met in highschool too but did not date until I came home after college. I drive him crazy when I make the bed 'wrong' and I usually reload the dishwasher after him :)
    We have been married almost 12 years

  29. what a sweet story! How amazing that you met him when you were 15!

    as for me? Ummm.....
    Some say 11 years.
    Others say only 3 years.
    Or it could be 9 years.
    This is my 2nd marriage, but to the same husband!
    it's complicated, but all that matters is that we are together. :)

  30. Aw...you guys are so cute. I love it when you dig out "old school" pictures of the two of you. Both of you are so richly blessed to have each other.

    Oh yeah. You asked a question didn't you? We just celebrated our five year anniversary.

  31. My man and I have been married almost 5 amazing years. But have know each other since I was 15, he was 23. Best years of my life!

  32. You and your husband are so cute together, and it sounds like you complement each other well. My husband and I have been married for almost 5 years, and dated for 6 years before that. We actually went to the same high school but didn't really know each other or start hanging out until college.

  33. I dont believe you. You said you fight (not often), but I think you're lying. I cant imagine either one of you saying one mean word or being in a foul mood, least of all to each other. ;)

    We've been married for 17 years in just a couple more weeks. Typing that makes me feel so old. It has truly gone so fast. I told him, once again last night, that since the moment he called my dorm room and asked me on our first date, he's been the one. No other, no way, no never. :)

  34. This should be a great weekend theme!

    Hubby and I have been married for 10 years, we dated for 7 months, were engaged for 4 months and met each other 2 weeks before our first date.

  35. Special! I couldn't help but laughing at the dryer and dishwasher stacking! Those are things my hubby gets anal over too!

    You both look so happy! Congrats on your love!

  36. My husband and I have been married for 26 years. I look forward to what you have to say regarding marriage this weekend. I also appreciated what you posted last weekend as I volunteer at a crisis pregnancy center and the links you posted regarding what to take to the hospital and the birth plan were especially helpful to us.

    I am feeling badly because I know that I told you I was in the middle of an email to you months ago. Unfortunately, I can't find the draft and I have no idea what I talked about in that email.

  37. Sounds like you have a wonderful marriage. You are definitely blessed.

    Kev and I will celebrate 13 AWESOME years this New Year's Eve. We have never had a fight. Isn't that crazy? Nahhh not at all! We dated long distance for 3 months before we got married. It's been an amazing and fun journey!

  38. You are truly blessed as am I! I have been married to my husband for over 23 years and we care for
    each other very much.....Cindi

  39. Very exciting theme. I didn't know you were so young. We were too. We have gone through the "phases" like you: the puppy love, the serious love, the newlywed love, the new parents love, and now the... I don't know the term, but it is the best! We actually met in the 8th grade at the ripe old age of 13. We started "going out" with each other then which entailed writing notes and holding hands between classes. We stuck together through HS. Then he went to Phoenix, AZ for college and I went to Laramie, WY, but we continued. Then he went to Spain for two years and I finished school. We got married shortly after his return in 1999. We celebrated our first amazing decade of marriage a few months ago in May, but have been "together" since February 7, 1991, 7:47 p.m MST. :) We have truly been best friends for 18 1/2 wonderful years! I know it sounds totally cheezy, but he truly is my other half. I can't imagine my world without him! Looking forward to the weekend!

  40. Awwww, marriage...love it!! It's the best.

    We've been married for 5 years but together for almost a decade...and it truly has only gotten better and better and we fall more and more in love every day!

    Can't wait to read these ones...

  41. First, I just have to say how cute you guys look. How old were you in that picture?

    I have been married to my hubby for 6 years. We have had some ups and downs, but I can honestly say that I am a completely blessed woman to have him as my husband. I love him more and more each day for so many different reasons.

  42. Awww...high school sweethearts! I love that!

    I've been married 4 1/2 years. We met in Utah, even though our paths crossed in a million different ways while both growing up in the same area of California. We were married 6 months after we met, and I have been happy for that decision every day of our 4 1/2 years!

    I know we would do well staying at home together too. We used to work together before we had our daughter. We never fought- in fact, spending so much time together was the best thing for us!

  43. I've been married a little over a year now. My husband and I met quite late in life so we had to fast track the engagement, buying of the house, getting married and having children (it all happened in just over a year!).
    I totally agree that the best scenario would be both parents staying home with the kiddies. I got to experience this for a brief 2 months this past summer. All the stars aligned...I was on mat leave and my husband is a teacher so he gets the July & August off. I felt like we were fabulously rich (only without the money)!

  44. Six of the best years of my life. And actually we've been together for ten and a half. I can't imagine life any other way or with anyone else. He's the best!

  45. OMG. My husband has "contemplative" green eyes and mischievous smile (I call it his Cheshire cat grin!) he also takes a long time to answer when he's thinking about how to choose his words... but get this... he also has that T shirt on your guy in the pic! LOL

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