What I’ve Learned From Two Years of Marriage.

Hello! Hope you all are having a great weekend so far! It looks like it’s going to be another hot one around here, so I foresee some quality pool time in our near future. Anyways, this past week was James and I’s 2nd wedding anniversary! I seriously can’t believe it’s already been two years – time really does fly by, and so much has happened. We’ve had lots of adventures together during the past two years, and I am looking forward to many more years of adventures to come. I’m so blessed to be married to my best friend, greatest supporter, and loving husband. The past two years have been the best years of my life!

Our anniversary was actually on Tuesday, but we celebrated last night with a delicious sushi dinner, and then some amazing cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory! I’m still feeling stuffed:)

While celebrating our anniversary, I couldn’t help but think about all the things that have happened to us over the past two years. We’ve both changed jobs a few times, lived in three different states, traveled to some really cool places, learned how to budget and manage our money in good times and in bad, tried lots of new and exciting [scary] things, and I, at least, have been pushed completely outside my comfort zone. It’s been a crazy, yet wonderful ride so far, and as I think about the past and the future to come, there are some things that I’ve learned, and want to remember…

Don’t Worry. 
So much of our marriage has been me worrying about finances or stressing about what might happen or feeling anxious about what’s next, and honestly, that worry has gotten me no where. Every time I have been stressed out about something dumb, God has completely provided for us, even when I didn’t think it was possible for him to do so.

Stop being so afraid, and start living.
I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve been living in a lot of fear since we’ve gotten married. Not fear about our actual marriage, but more about our future – where we’ll live, when we’ll start having kids, how will we ever be able to afford that certain thing – and fear from my past that still clings to me. I need to just let it go. Living in fear prevents us from ever being able to truly live our lives the way God intended us to live them. This is something I have realized over the past two years, and something I am going to change. God has big plans for my life, and I will never be able to accomplish those plans if I’m too afraid to step out of my comfort zone and start truly living.

You don’t always need to have a plan.
As long as I can remember, I’ve always been a girl with a plan. I’ve always wanted [and needed] to know what I’m doing, where I’m going, what is going to happen five years from now and how I’m going to get there. Having a plan is not bad, but I’ve learned that sometimes you just need to go with the flow, and follow God’s direction, not your own. Living in three different states in two years has made planning a rather difficult thing, but looking back, I can see how God has used those moves to help me rely on him and his plan rather than my own. I just need to chill out a little bit, and let him lead.

Trust people.
I’ve been burned a lot in the past by the people I’ve trusted most, and that has really made it hard for me to connect with other people in the same way that I used to. It’s made it hard for me to make new friends and become part of a community with James. But, just because I’ve been hurt before, doesn’t mean that everyone is out to get me. While I’m beyond blessed to be married to my best friend, we also need  other people – friends – in our lives to come alongside us, support us, and live life with us. We were never meant to live life alone, and that is something I have begun to realize over the past two years.

Love more.
Don’t be afraid to slow down and enjoy the moment, take advantage of a long weekend, or go exploring. Sometimes I get so focused on needing to get all the big things done, that I forget to slow down and enjoy the little things. There is more to life than having a clean house and keeping up with the laundry. I can’t always be working on my own thing, trying to get ahead. While being productive is not a bad thing, sometimes the best thing is to slow down and go for a walk, or even get out of town for a weekend away. I’ve struggled with making time for this sort of thing, and that is something I plan on getting better at in the years to come.

Don’t worry. Don’t stress. Don’t be afraid to start living your life. Stop always trying to plan out every single detail of your life, and just go with whatever God has for you. Trust people, and don’t be afraid to be yourself. Love more, slow down and enjoy the person you’ve chosen to spend the rest of your life with. It I could go back in time, that is the advice I would give to my 22 years old self on my wedding day. But, seeing as I can’t go back in time that is the advice I will use going forward.

Feeling very blessed and thankful today for all God has given me, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Slow down, and enjoy the little things! God Bless:)