FOREVER?!

A couple sundays ago, in Relief Society, our lesson was on happy marriages, then a few days later on the Today show they were talking about marriage-why so many fail, and then this last Sun. night Bobby and I went to a ward fireside where the topic was eternal marriages. So needless to say, I've been thinking a lot about Marriage in the past week.

Dr. Laura (whom I sometimes agree with-and this is one of those times) says that love is not a reason two people should get married; it can be part of why you chose to do so, but it should not be the only reason. In the fireside on Sun. the speaker, Bro. Brinley, reminded us that to have a successful marriage one shouldn't go into it with the idea "it's okay if we can't eat, afford a place to live, or have clothes to wear...we'll just live on love!" While the fairy tale romance is always ideal and sought after, our lives do not end at the wedding with a banner that hangs from our car reading 'Happily Ever After' as we drive off into the sunset with our soulmate. It is however, the beginning of a wonderful and prosporous life, if we so choose to follow those paths that will allow us to better ourselves, our families, and our marriages. And I believe that as we make those choices that lead us down paths of happiness with our family, we continue to fall in love over and over again with our spouse, but we have to make a concious effort to do so. I knew that I loved Bobby when I married him 3 years ago, but it was such a different love than it is today, (I refer you to my previous post titled True Love from August if you want to find out what I feel true love is :) ) as I'm sure it will be an even different form of love 3 years from today.

In our relief society lesson we talked about needing to share with the world the happiness and joy we find in our marriages. So often, especially as girls, we gab to our friends about the things our husbands do that drive us nuts, the fights we get into, how unfair it is that he said this or that, or how we wish we could go back to our single days where we flirted shamlessly and enjoyed our free dinners and movies every weekend. Then we finish by reminding our single friends to stay that way as long as they can and enjoy every moment of the single life we can no longer be apart of. And although sometimes we just need a good vent to a girlfriend b/c we know our husbands don't need to hear any more of our complaints, we sometimes forget to go on and on about how WONDERFUL it is to be married, sending the wrong message to our single friends. So here are some of the reasons why I LOVE marriage.

Not having to say goodbye at the end of the day. Having all of our stuff in ONE place. Having somebody else kill the bugs in my apartment. Cuddling up at the end of the day talking about our days. Having a gauranteed date every weekend. Having someone there to tell me when I'm being a brat. Knowing that if we fight, there's no chance we're going to break up. Having children. Having someone who loves me no matter what I do, say or look like (in the morning before I've taken a shower, 9 mo. pregnant, being sick, etc.). But most importantly, knowing that I will be with Bobby forever-even after this life.

Those are just a few things that I could come up with on the top of my head, but I challange anyone who is married and who reads this blog to take the opportunity to make a post on your blog about why you LOVE marriage. Let's share our happiness with the world!!!

*The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has put out a proclamation to the world regarding families that exemplifies how we view marriage and family. I find so much comfort in these words because they bring a certain peace into my life and home. For anyone who would like to read it, you can find the proclamation here:
http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b3bc55cbf541229058520974e44916a0/?vgnextoid=e1fa5f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=2de0a41f6cc20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1

The Houston, Tx temple where we were married


Bobby and I the night before we got married.