Heres to year one, + 6 months

I know I'm a little late, since we have been married now for a year and 6 months, or something like that, but who's counting?

 

Here are some of the one year anniversary photos that Amy Elise Allen Photography took for us. She Did an amazing job!

The pictures turned out so cute, even though Mark had helmet hair from riding his bike thirty minutes up Provo canyon, and it was seriously cold outside. We had a lot of fun doing this photo shoot, and I'm so glad Amy took them, she's so fun.

 

 

 

 

 One year down, a bazillion, million to go.  I love this guy! He is one hard worker, he goes to school, and works and makes me breakfast 90% of the mornings that I've been married to him. Better than that, he actually tries to understand me, and my sometimes chaotic family. Really though, I know he loves them. I couldn't have found someone more balanced, that fits in so well with my family dynamics, because really we can a bit to handle for the average person. I know I found a keeper.

 we are a family that rides together, slowly starting our own family biker gang. Mark's dreams are coming true!

 

 

 

Though Marriage isn't a walk in the park, or a piece of cake, it's been the most rewarding, love filled journey I've been on so far. I was asked the other day by a friend if I felt more in love, and giddy now after being married a year, than I did the day I was married. 

The truth, which I told her, is that yes, I do feel a deeper love, but it's not always giddy, sunshine and rainbows. It's so much more now than it was when we first got married. It's that kind of solid knowledge, something you know is there, and take with you everywhere you go.

 

 It's something I don't worry about leaving me. Even if I'm not overwhelmed everyday with how in love I am, and the excitement that you feel, when you first fall in love isn't always right there, I feel it in the way that I don't worry that he won't be there. That I see him in my future, and have since I started seriously dating him. In the way that I know my family will be there, Mark will be too.

 

I try not to take that for granite, because It's so solid. I've had that other kind of love that was explosive, and exciting, but I always felt like I was chasing after that flame trying to make sure it wasn't going to burn out. That's not real love, that's lust, and it dies out. When it does it burns you bad. 

From my experience, my love with Mark was the slow kind of burns and it took time to ignite, but that's still there. It's manageable and safe, and secure and that's the kind of love I wanted in my marriage.

 

 

 

 

Mostly, though he is the type of Dad I want for my kids, Son in law I wanted for my dad, and best friend I wanted for myself, mostly that is the most important thing. He is my best friend.

 

 I am so happy my husband was persistent and didn't give up on me. That he saw things in me that I didn't, and that we got married and sealed together in the temple.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Through our ups and downs, this year has taught us so much. We have grown as individuals, and as a couple. I didn't feel like the change from being single to married was really that different. Living with Mark has been easy, I guess I knew him pretty well before we got married, since we had dated for a year, and before that we knew each other for about 8 months.

 

 

In my opinion, the key to happiness in marriage, as from my experience so far, is the ability to talk openly and honestly about everything, and learn to make a compromise when you disagree. I guess the one other thing to remember is that you each have flaws, regardless of how big or how small they are, both of you have them, and they will be the things you'll need to forgive and work on in your marriage.

 

I sure do appreciate Mark. He does a lot of things for me, and puts up with my oddities. which just reaffirms my belief that there is a plan for us in this life, and that Heavenly Father knows me better than I know myself.

Maybe it's time I share my story about how Mark and me finally started dating.

 There is no doubt that things happen for a reason, even though I think sometimes the reason they don't happen sooner is because I'm stubborn and I don't always listen the first time.

 

Gosh darn me, always learning things the hard way...well not all the time. Thank goodness!

 

 

So here is to us! I've heard people say the first year of marriage is the hardest, well we've made it through the first year plus six months! yay for us.